Catfish and frogs to boost local food supply

THE government has disbursed more than US$4.5mil (RM19.2mil) to boost aquaculture production and domestic market supply amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Veng Sakhon said that in boosting agricultural production, the ministry has received financing from development partners and direct government funding to support more than 6,000 frog and catfish farmers across the Kingdom.

Of the US$4.68mil (RM20mil), he said the Ministry of Economy and

Finance has allocated US$500,000 (RM2.1mil) to support farmers raising catfish and frogs in plastic tents that provide short-term benefits in 10 provinces.

“This special government-funded package will focus on 1,000 catfish farmers and 700 frog farmers. It will also be used to strengthen the ability of 50 families to produce 50 species of catfish,” he said.

Sakhon said the ministry has also received US$1.12mil (RM4.7mil) in financing for 1,000 catfish farmers and 1,000 frog farmers in 10 other provinces.

The Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector is financed by the EU and managed by Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD).

It will be implemented through the one-year Cat-Fish-Sustainable Fisheries sector and Aquaculture Inclusive Growth Promoted Programme in Cambodia.

The Fisheries Administration has also submitted a request to the World Bank for US$3.05mil (RM13mil) in concessional financing for the Cambodian Aquaculture Enhancement Project, which aims to support farmers during and after the pandemic.

The project will provide technical assistance to 2,000 families raising catfish and frogs in plastic tents and support about 260 farmers in Phnom Penh and 12 target provinces.