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The Vitality of Rice
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The Vitality of Rice

Observing via a global scale lens, The Vitality of Rice is an informational and visual publication that examines the historical and socio-economic implications of rice beyond statistics. In doing so, past, current, and future challenges of ensuring food security can be responded appropriately. This includes (1) shaping specialized rice policies that serve farmers and consumers; (2) producing enough quantities while stabilizing prices; and (3) investing in agricultural R&D.

Engage in design history and theory as well as develop an understanding of the relationship of design to culture through the investigation of an artifact’s origins and significance. Explore the role an object plays in society to gain more insight into the impact and implications of aesthetic, historical context, functions, motivations, challenges, and future responses.
Invested in every artifact is a significance which provides information about the culture from which it originates. As designers, we can continue to learn valuable lessons about our field, design theory, and practice in particular, through exploring the function, meaning and significance of a designed artifact.
Through socially responsible design and post structuralist theory, the goal of this project was to emphasize social, economic, political, and cultural contexts through extensive research, process documentation, relevant design decisions, and intentional craft. With this in mind, the choice of artifact I wanted to focus on was rice, an agricultural commodity that has been prevalent in my lifetime and is vital for communities around the world. From environmental to socioeconomic, there are many directions to take when discussing rice primarily due to its substantial background and challenges that different demographics face.

Process

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Brainstorm map that assisted with selecting an artifact. After answering four prompts, I decided to choose rice because of how prominent the grain has been in my life, my family, and household, and is something I always have stocked in my pantry.
Overall research consolidated into a mind map. Covered historical context, functions, motivations, problems associated with rice, future challenges, and visual precedents.
In relation to the research section, the framework mind map explores the different directions I could take when discussing rice, including climate change, cultural values, and historical background. All of these topics could be intersected into the first direction, which focuses on the socio-economic implications of rice producers and consumers and how knowing this information can lead to better government policies that ensure food security.

Final Deliverables

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1/6 Front and back cover of publication. 2/6 Inside page of publication. 3/6 Global map showing trade and migration of rice. 4/6 Open book shows the Global Rice Crisis section accompanied by an image and information. 5/6 Data visualization spread showing the relationship of leading rice production to consumption. 6/6 Data visualization spread of consumer demographics and characteristics survey conducted by University of Sumatera Utara (n=100).