Market integration for local farmers : case study of vegetable trade in Sourt Nikom District, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

This study analyses farmers’ adjustments of vegetable production and trading decisions in relation to a number of market- as well as non-market related factors. Fluctuations in the price of vegetables, degree of specialization in vegetable production and the choice of vegetable crop portfolio, as well as the impact of external actors such as GOs and NGOs are examples of factors influencing farmers’ decisions and actions. Empirical data for the discussion on the issues above were collected using qualitative and quantitative approaches during fieldwork in Sam Raong and Dan Run communes in Sourt Nikom district, Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Seasonal calendar, ranking, venn diagram, problem tree, and feedback information were used in qualitative methodology. In the quantitative approach, 60 households were interviewed in a questionnaire survey. The result shows that, farmers actively integrate their vegetable production to the markets but not in an optimal way, why the profitability is lower than what could be expected. Some farmers expand vegetable production in large scale in order to satisfy the high demand of traders. Unfortunately they supply only seasonally, something which dynamic traders do not prefer. Other farmers grow all year around but it is at very small scale. This reduces the benefits in comparison with the large scale and seasonal growers. Vegetable growers also assess the quality and prices of inputs but they lack understanding about the importance of checking expiry date, usage instruction, and bargaining the prices. Also, they try to engage with relevant stakeholders like government authorities or non-government organizations in order to improve their vegetables production. However, the level of acceptance and adoption of new techniques is still limited. Finally, while farmers strive to create more options for selling their vegetables to reduce the effects of price shocks, they are still not successful in meeting the requirements of traders who are able to offer the higher price levels typical for the city markets. The outcomes from vegetables production are clearly positive but farmers are not reaching the marginal profit. Cash income from vegetable sales constitutes nearly 70% of total net cash income among the sampled farm households. Differences in the ways farmers integrate in the markets result in different incomes from vegetable sales. While Sam Raong commune’s farmers earned profits from vegetable sales at the level of an average of 2,497 000 Riel, Dan Run farmers only made a profit of 1,302 000 Riel per annum. The study discusses the ways in which farmers’ assets endowment, government and NGOs involvement, social relationship, price fluctuation, food security considerations, commodity, and natural conditions affect farmers’ decision in both vegetables production and trading process

The Role of Non-Timber Forest Products in Creating Incentives for Forest Conservation: A Case Study of Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia

The fundamental issue in this study is to confirm whether or not the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) will encourage additional pro-conservation behavior from local people. This study clarifies three research questions as follows: what is the current activity of forest conservation in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary?; does the extraction of NTFPs create incentives for forest conservation?; and how much value do NTFPs have for incentives for forest conservation activities? Fieldworks were conducted in September 2015, March and April 2016, March 2017 in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary: participatory rural appraisals, key informant interviews, and structured questionnaire interviews with 288 households were randomly selected. Though this study confirmed that extraction of NTFPs is generally seen as the most positive influenced factors for local people’s participation towards forest conservation. Additionally, this study found that the annual value of NTFPs as incentives for forest conservation was around US$0.95/ha or US$95/km2 in Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, Cambodia

Assessing Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) Change and Factors Affecting Agricultural Land: Case Study in Battambang Province, Cambodia

This study analyzed land use and land cover (LULC) change from 1998 to 2018 in Battambang, Cambodia, and determined factors and constraints affecting agricultural production. Landsat satellite images in 1998, 2008, and 2018 were used to identify the changes in LULC. In combination, a social survey was conducted in August 2021 using purposive sampling, selecting a total sample of 200 from two wealth classes: the poor (65) and the better off (135) based on the Cambodia poverty assessment by the World Bank, from uplands to lowlands of Battambang Province, Cambodia. Household characteristics, farm size, and constraints were compared between the classes. T-tests, the analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Likert scale analysis were adopted using the R Program and RStudio, while Pearson's correlation test was used to determine the factors affecting agricultural land. The results show that between 1998 and 2018, the forest cover decreased by 79%. In contrast, agricultural land expansion was the highest (54%). The average household size and age of the respondents were 5.0 persons/household and 50.1 years, respectively. Of all the interviewees, about 80% attended no higher than primary school. The total farm size of the better-off (7.0 ha/household) was larger than that of the poor (5.2 ha/household). The population growth, machinery use, and improved infrastructure were found to be positive and strongly related to agricultural land use. The highest constraints of the poor and the better-off households were the same: chemical fertilizer use. Then, drought and flooding were also challenges for all. In terms of land, credit, and labor, they were not the main constraints. Thus, it is recommended that the involvement of interdisciplinary stakeholders and policy frameworks is really important from both biophysical and social perspectives

Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Soil Erosion Using Remote Sensing, GIS and RUSLE Model: A Case Study of Battambang Province, Cambodia

Soil erosion causes land degradation which negatively impacts not only natural resources but also livelihoods of people due to low agricultural productivity. Cambodia is prone to soil erosion due to poor agricultural practices. In this research we use Battambang province as a case study to quantify impact of land use and land cover change (LULC) on soil erosion. This study assessed the impact from LULC changes to soil erosion. LULC change maps were analyzed based on Landsat satellite imagery of 1998, 2008, and 2018, computed in QGIS 6.2.9, while the soil erosion loss was estimated by the integration of remote sensing, GIS tools, and Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. The results showed that the area of agricultural land of Battambang province significantly increased from 44.50% in 1998 to 61.11% in 2008 and 68.40% in 2018. The forest cover significantly decreased from 29.82% in 1998 to 6.18% in 2018. Various soil erosion factors were estimated using LULC and slope. Based on that, the mean soil loss was 2.92 t/ha.yr in 1998, 4.20 t/ha.yr in 2008, and 4.98 t/ha.yr in 2018. Whereas the total annual soil loss was 3.49 million tons in 1998, 5.03 million tons in 2008, and 5.93 million tons in 2018. The annual soil loss at the agricultural land dramatically increased from 190,9347.9 tons (54%) in 1998 to 3,543,659 tons (70.43%) in 2008 and to 4,267,439 tons (71.91%) in 2018 due to agricultural land expansion and agricultural practices. These losses were directly correlated with LULC, especially agricultural land expansion and forest cover decline. Our results highlight the need to develop appropriate land use and crop management practices to decrease land degradation and soil erosion. These data are useful to bring about public awareness of land degradation and alert local citizens, researchers, policy makers, and actors towards land rehabilitation to bring the area of land back to a state which is safe for increasing biodiversity and agricultural productivity. Measures to reduce or prevent soil erosion and the use of conservation agriculture practices, along with water and soil conservation, management, agroforestry practices, vegetation cover restoration, the creation of slope terraces, and the use of direct sowing mulch-based cropping systems should be considered

Digital climate advisory and bundled services (DCAS) tools landscape assessment for Cambodia

This document is a long list of existing digital tools and platforms for selected value chains in Cambodia based on key characteristics, accomplishments, challenges and business models

Digital climate advisory and bundled services (DCAS) tools landscape assessment for Cambodia

This document is a long list of existing digital tools and platforms for selected value chains in Cambodia based on key characteristics, accomplishments, challenges and business models