Background: Demand for rice is rapidly growly in sub-Saharan Africa. There is ongoing and substantial investment in the extensification of irrigated lowland rice production.Unfortunately, irrigated rice fields, which are continuously flooded for the majority of the growing season, are ideal breeding sites for African malaria vectors. A better understanding of the relationship between rice cultivation and malaria risk, with an intent of identifying improved methods of rice production that minimises malaria vector production, is urgently needed. Methods: To examine the association between rice growing, malaria vectors and malaria risk in sub-Saharan Africa, two systematic reviews and meta-analyses were conducted. To gain a more thorough understanding of the ecology and epidemiological significance of malaria vectors produced in rice fields, the population dynamics of mosquitoes were monitored for four cropping seasons in Côte d’Ivoire. Experimental field trials were also established to investigate the effect of various rice cultivation practices on vector productivity. To explore rice farmers’ views and perspectives on their contribution to mosquito production, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted in two rice communities in Côte d’Ivoire. Main findings: Rice-farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa are exposed to a greater number of malaria vectors, where one hectare of irrigated rice is capable of producing 700,000 malaria vectors during a cropping season. Rice communities are also exposed to greater malaria risk. As malaria transmission intensity reduces, the effects of irrigated lowland rice cultivation on malaria are expected to become more conspicuous. Potential interventions that grow rice with fewer mosquitoes exist, namely rice-fish co-culture, various forms of intermittent irrigation, and land preparation techniques. Whilst farmers were not aware of the link between rice and mosquitoes, they were willing to adopt vector control interventions. Conclusions: This thesis highlights that the associations between rice and malaria should not be interpreted as a trade-off between food security and human health. Instead,the development of modified rice-growing methods that improve rice yield (and are hence more attractive towards farmers) whilst minimising malaria vector production should be prioritised. The effect of irrigated systems (other than rice) on malaria should be explored.