AMSTERDAM – In the Mekong Delta, farmers obtain 6-7 tons of rice per hectare in dry seasons and 4-5 tons per hectare in wet seasons, using fast-maturing rice varieties that allow up to three consecutive yields annually. By contrast, West African rice farmers harvest only 1.5 tons per hectare of traditional upland rice annually, while other cereals yield no more than one ton – a figure comparable to yields in medieval Europe.
阿姆斯特丹—在湄公河三角洲，农民在旱季能收获6—7吨的水稻公顷产量，雨季则为4—5吨，使用快速成熟稻种，每年可以收获三季。相反，西非稻农种植传统旱稻每年只能收获1.5吨的公顷产量，其他谷类产量更是不到一吨——与欧洲中世纪产量水平相当。