Modern farming communities give fillip to agricultural sector

Modern farming communities give fillip to agricultural sector

Cambodia’s agricultural sector will emerge stronger and become more competitive by becoming part of modern farming communities and conducting agricultural production under contract, said Khim Finan, Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

Speaking to members of the Modern Vegetable Farming Community in Tram Kak district, Takeo province, Finan said that maintaining the long-term viability of modern farming communities, requires careful budget planning to reserve capital for future reinvestment.

Farmers can be effectively protected from market risks – especially small-scale family farmers – only by organising into modern farming communities and conducting agricultural production under contract, he said.

“The long`-term strength of modern farming communities depends on careful budget planning to reserve funds for future reinvestment, as well as the efficient, transparent, and sustainable management of those funds—whether they come from community investments or grants received from donors and partners,” Finan emphasised.

He added that Cambodia’s agricultural sector will be stronger and more capable of competing with other countries’ agricultural products in terms of price, quantity, and quality if contract farming can be implemented effectively.

Last week, Say Samal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Land, Urban Planning and Construction, provided 100 net houses to Tram Kak Modern Vegetable Farming Community in Takeo province.

These net houses will strengthen the stability of the community’s vegetable supply to the local market and enhance the competitiveness of vegetable production against imported vegetables.

On these net houses, Finan said that this is a large-scale public investment by the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) directed towards the economic development of local communities, which demonstrates a long-term commitment to strategic cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture’s modern farming community, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology’s farmer community uses water and the Ministry of Rural Development’s model village project.

“I believe that thousands of farming families in this region will benefit directly and indirectly from this meaningful investment,” Finan said.

Touch Sopheap, Manager of the Modern Vegetable Farming Community, said that the work of the modern agricultural community is an important thing, especially the community’s finances.

“What I have observed is that since the establishment of the modern vegetable farming community until now, the cash flow in the community has been under control,” he said.

Sopheap added that what helps the community’s financial situation run well is because they have a proper management structure.

Un Oeun, President of Tram Kak Modern Vegetable Farming Community, said that this modern vegetable farming community has been established for about eight months and the community is working hard to continue their work.

“This vegetable modern farming community in Tram Kak district is gaining momentum and has received support from the government and partner projects. So far, we are proud of our achievements. Although we have not yet reached the targeted goal, the achievements we have achieved are great,” he said.

It may be recalled that in 2024 the ministry established ten modern agricultural communities in six provinces for rice, vegetable, pepper and cashew nut. The year 2025 will be a crucial year for expanding the scope of the modern agricultural community.

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