The edible biota in irrigated, deepwater, and rainfed rice fields of Asia: a neglected treasure for sustainable food system

Irrigated, rainfed, deepwater rice agro-ecosystems of Asia replete with a suite of edible flora and fauna have provided an alternate and affordable source of essential nutrients apart from the staple. This diverse edible biota once constituted a viable means to supplement the staple and sustained large populations of the rice growing countries of Asia; it is imperative especially in the current crisis of micronutrient deficiency or hidden hunger that afflicts one-third of the global population. In this narrative review, building on secondary literature, we sketch the breadth of the edible biota found in rainfed, deepwater, and irrigated rice fields that have been accepted as food across a large geography of Asian rice-eaters. The nutritional outcome of this edible biodiversity has also been described. We argue that it has been an integral part of the food system that eroded with the intensification of agriculture in recent centuries. Finally, we identify and emphasize on the underlying drivers leading to the fall of this system and suggest a possible way to revive this age-old practice for sustainable agricultural intensification, simultaneously addressing the potential of this system to combat the global health problem of micronutrient deficiency.