Ministry advocates for modernised farming to tackle climate change
THE vulnerability of smallscale farmers to climate change has been highlighted by a senior official at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Ministry spokesman Khim Finan explained that increased capital requirements, as well as greater labour and technical demands, underscore the need for widespread adoption of modern agricultural practices to mitigate the impact of climate change.
A February 6 statement from Finan noted the myriad challenges faced by smallholding agriculture.
He explained that during a recent field visit to meet with farmers in Siem Reap province’s Svay Leu district, he observed that around 70 per cent of them sought assistance from the ministry to establish rice production communities. The communities aim to address issues such as high costs, capital shortages, labour deficits and insufficient agricultural expertise, all of which can result in losses or reduced productivity.
“Due to these challenges, we urge them to establish agricultural communities that will mitigate these issues. The ministry will assist with technical aspects, capital and market access, especially given the severe impact of climate change,” he said.
Finan explained that a modern agricultural community involves the collective management of farmlands within the community, but has no impact on land ownership. The land would function as a communal resource with shared objectives. Profits from the farm would be distributed among members according to principles of fairness and the size of their land holdings.
He reiterated that the new government’s priority on the agricultural sector ensures equitable division of results based on reduced cost, increased product quality and ensuring stable markets for farmers.
He said the ministry would also support farmers with marketing strategies, connecting farming communities with buyers before crops are harvested, and building partnerships with financial, technical and market facilitators.
The ministry will also support the communities through the deployment of specialised agriculture officials to communes with significant agricultural activity.
Prime Minister Hun Manet’s administration has prioritised the agriculture sector during his mandate, allocating two of his government’s six immediate priority programmes to it.