The history of rice. Rice has a long history in aisa as it is the main grain and staple of aisan cusien. it is thought to have been tamed and used by humans since 8000 bc althought there is constant debate about when exacly when rice became demesticated. there were two species of domesticated rice, Oryza sativa which started in the Yangtze River area which is in China. And Oryza glaberrima which was tamed somewhere in Afica.