Rice has been grown in Taiwan for centuries, but many modern varieties of the island's staple food have their origins in Japan.

While the earliest written record of rice being cultivated on the subtropical island dates back to 1602, archaeologists have found evidence that aboriginal groups collected wild varieties as early as 5,000 B.C.

Today, however, Taiwan's rice producers are feeling more than a little anxious about their prospects. Per capita rice consumption has plunged from 132 kg to just 45 kg in the last 40 years, as rising affluence has led to an increase in the consumption of imported staples such as wheat, along with meat and other animal-based proteins.