2009 was the second year of the implementation of Second Phase Rectangular Strategy of the Royal Government, under the strong and wise leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SUN, prime minister of the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
To this date, 2009-2010 rice production comes to an end, and it is a proper time for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) to organize its annual conference to take stock agriculture, forestry and fisheries outcomes and to set out directions and measures for next year’s implementation. The purpose of the conference is also to gather comments and experiences from participants, and especially obtain key and invaluable recommendations from Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, prime minister of the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, to use as directions for next year’s implementation.
Even though obstacles from natural disasters were experienced such as shortage of water due to low pressure of weather amid the rainy season, floods and especially impacts of Ketsana storm at late September, and also the impacts of global economic crisis, during a year of the MAFF’s efforts, under the effective guidance and support of the RGC and with the active participation from all relevant ministries and institutions, local authorities, armed forces and our farmers, and also with the contribution from the government’s development partners, the overall agricultural production was remarkably increased.
Although, adverse impacts from abnormal natural phenomenon were experienced, the agricultural production situation in general was good. The cultivation of rainy season reached 2.33 million hectares, with an average yield of 2.62 tones per hectare, resulting in total production amount of paddy rice about 6.00 million metric tones. For dry season rice, over 0.38 million hectares were cultivated, with an average yield of 4.12 tones per hectare, and total production amount over 1.58 million metric tones. To plus the production of the rainy and dry season rice production together, the total cultivated area was 2.71 million hectares, with the production amount of about 7.58 million metric tones and the average yield of 2.83 tones per hectare.
To calculate for food balance, we produced a surplus of 2.24 million metric tones of milled rice, accounting for about 3.50 million metric tones of paddy rice, that was 0.33 million metric tones more than last year paddy rice produce and 1.20 million metric tones of milled rice more than the 10-year average milled rice produce. Thus, it is a great success.
Among those successful results was the significant increase in the practice of system of rice intensification (SRI), in which over 104,000 farmer families practiced the farming on over 58,000 hectares of land area, with the average yield of 3.53 hectares. In comparison to 28 families practicing the cultivation on 1.6 hectares in 2000, it was quite a sharp increase. Takeo province is the champion of SRI implementation, with more than 34,000 farmer families now practicing the farming on over 21,000 hectares of land area. The last season also observed an increase of subsidiary and industrial cropping, in comparison to the previous year’s production. Generally, the agricultural production of 2009-2010 achieved very good results.
For animal health and production, the number of cattle increased 13%, from 3 million heads in 2004 to 3.4 million heads in 2008, while pig number rised to 13 millions. Bird production declined in 2004 due to avian influenza outbreaks, but has gradually increased from 2006. Last year also observed no serious case of bird flu outbreak due to our regular prevention measures.
Permanent cropping such as rubber, cashew and fruit trees was also in good progress, whether they were smallholder, and small, medium or large scale investment. Up to 2008, total rubber plantation were 107,900 hectares, 31% increase compared to 2007, or equal to 72% of the area set in the strategic plan 2015 (150,000 hectares), in which the development of smallholder rubber plantation was at a remarkable pace.
Forestry Sub-sector has been under a process of sustainable forest management and sustainable forest resource use, through forest reform policy. It is expected that 60% of forest cover and 1.35 million hectares of protected forests will be maintained at 2010, while 61% reduction natural wood fuel usage is targeted. Every year 2 to 5 million tree seedlings are distributed to people, through tree planting programs and national Arbor Day. Beside that, communities forestry have also been created and strengthened.
Similarly, fisheries reform has been carried out with successful outcomes. Although inland fishing declined from 395,000 tones in 2007 to 365,000 tones in 2008, because of lower water level of rivers, the marine fishing has increased 18% within 5 years. Increase in aquaculture, such as shrimps and fish cultivation, seedling hatching, crocodile farming, was significant, 94% (2004 vs. 2008.) 509 fishery communities, with 390,323 members, have been established.
Forestry and fisheries law enforcement have been effectively carried out, in close collaboration with local authorities and relevant ministries and institutions, to reduce all forms of illegalities in the sub-sectors.
Together with the progress in the above said sub-sectors (rice production, animal health and production, rubber plantation, forestry and fisheries), supporting service and intervention of the MAFF also achieved better results. For instance, public investment activities worked out many programs and projects for agriculture development; private investments in agriculture were also highly increased; agricultural technology research and extension were broadened and more comprehended; international cooperation was further increased; and more agriculture-related regulations were approved and implemented.
Therefore, we can make an assessment that the last season rice production was increased compared to the previous year’s production, with an overall progressive trend from year to year, and with high attention from our farmers. We have observed the change from traditional agricultural practice to more advanced and deepened agricultural development. The increased efforts were also observed for subsidiary and industrial cropping, to not dependent only on rice production. In sum, for the present and future the agricultural production still has high potential and advancement, and is the source of sustainable growth for local areas. The future focus on agricultural development will be promoting produce quality and agri-trade oriented activities.
It is inevitable to say that the achievements as described in this detailed report are the fruitful result arising from the close cooperation between the MAFF and all concerned ministries and institutions, local authorities and development partners, and active participation from our people.
In conclusion, for the 2009-2010 season Cambodia’s agriculture again obtained excellent results due to the setting out and effective implementation of proper policies and strategies, especially the Rectangular Strategy of the RGC, under the wisest and strongest leadership of Samdech Akka Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, prime minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.