Farmers working in rice environments with problem soils that rely on unpredictable rains and that are susceptible to flooding had no recourse but to continue to grow mainly traditional varieties and use very few, if any, external inputs. CURE (the Consortium for Unfavourable Rice Environments) focuses on rice farming systems where low and unstable yields are commonplace and where extensive poverty and food insecurity prevail. In collaboration with IRRI scientists and NARES partners, CURE activities aimed to benefit the 100 million farm households in Asia that are dependent on rice.