Holding Back a Torrent of Rats

Abstract

Rodent losses are a perennial problem worldwide. In Asia, for instance, rodents devour an estimated 6% of the annual rice harvest—roughly enough to feed Indonesia's 240 million people for a year. And they do damage in nearly every phase of farming, from munching on seedlings to eating stored grain. Agriculture agencies across Asia are now spreading the word about some relatively simple rat countermeasures