Agriculture remains key pillar for growth, Naron says

Agriculture remains key pillar for growth, Naron says

The Royal Government prioritises agriculture, particularly food security, despite Cambodia’s economic diversification and rapid growth in sectors such as textiles, tourism, services, finance, and construction.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS), Hang Chuon Naron yesterday said that the Royal Government has always considered agriculture a priority sector for ensuring food security, improving livelihoods, and driving national economic growth.

He made the remarks at a graduation ceremony for more than 1,400 students from the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), Prek Leap National Institute of Agriculture (PNIA), and the Kampong Cham National Institute of Agriculture (KNIA), at Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Center in the capital.

Naron emphasised that the graduating students, who have studied diligently, overcome challenges, and completed their degrees, will become vital human resources contributing to Cambodia’s socio-economic development and the achievement of the national visions for 2030 and 2050.

“Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate, has led a series of reforms in the agricultural sector, transforming Cambodia from a country once dependent on foreign food aid into a prosperous agricultural nation with full food security, plentiful production, and the ability to export millions of tonnes of agricultural products abroad,” said Naron.

He further stressed that in the 7th legislature of the National Assembly, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Manet, the Royal Government continues to prioritise agriculture, particularly ensuring food security, despite Cambodia’s economic diversification and rapid growth in sectors such as textiles, tourism, services, finance, and construction.

The government, Naron went on to add, has launched six priority policy programs, with Programs 5 and 6 focusing specifically on accelerating agricultural development. These programs aim to maintain food security, raise people’s living standards, and strengthen economic growth, especially amid a rapidly changing global context marked by shifting trade patterns, geopolitical uncertainty, and unpredictable agricultural market conditions.

To stabilise agricultural product prices, the government has also allocated a reserve budget of $100 million, he said. So far, four rounds of funding have been released to stabilise rice prices, such as $28.5 million in the first round, $40 million in 2024, $30 million in early 2025, and $20 million during the harvest season starting in August, to support local rice mills and farmers.

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MoEYS), Dith Tina, said that 1,487 students, including 607 women, completed their studies in various fields. Among them were 647 graduates from the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), 629 from Prek Leap National Institute of Agriculture (PNIA), and 211 from the Kampong Cham National Institute of Agriculture (KNIA).

He noted that over the past 40 years, the three agricultural higher education institutions have produced a total of 31,841 graduates, of whom 8,422 were women.

Surveys indicate that approximately 98.8 percent of graduates have secured employment, the majority in the private sector.

In addition, 983 graduates have passed the examination to become commune agricultural officers, while others have established their own businesses.

“The many achievements that the ministry and these three agricultural higher education institutions have accomplished in building human resources for the agricultural sector cannot be separated from the attention and active support of the Royal Government, both in past mandates and in the current one,” Tina stressed.

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