September 2020, Siem Reap:  More than 60 participants from relevant ministries, international organizations, civil society organizations and  relevant sectoral provincial departments gathered on 29 September 2020 to discuss the development of a national e-agriculture strategy.

Organized jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and Siem Reap provincial authorities, this workshop aimed to engage key relevant stakeholders to identify current development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) activities, challenges facing agriculture, and collect inputs for the preparation of the national e-agriculture strategy. 

Using the e-agriculture framework and guideline designed by FAO and ITU, this country strategy will lay down a roadmap deploying e-solutions that will help Cambodia transform agriculture for national economic growth and country prosperity.

E-agriculture is to utilize new ICTs applications, including digital technologies to boost agricultural and rural development by improving access to valuable information that can help people whose livelihoods depend on agriculture to make the best possible decisions. It will also offer potential opportunities to raise incomes and improve livelihoods among rural communities through increased efficiency of agriculture production and value chain development.

Access to the right information at the right time through the right medium is crucial for people involved in the agricultural sector. This includes farmers, fishers, foresters, policy makers, industries and other actors in the agricultural value chain. In this context, ICTs include devices, networks, services and applications, ranging from internet-based technologies and sensing tools to other technologies that have been around for much longer, such as radio, telephones, mobile phones, television and satellites.

Cambodian smallholder farmers are facing more and more challenges as a result of climate change, irregular rainfall patterns, drought, as well as attack of pest and diseases.

Furthermore, as explained by Mr Mak Mony, Director of the Department of Planning and Statistics (DPS) of MAFF, smallholder farmers are in need of smart solutions to address issues of low agricultural productivity, poor quality, high price of agricultural inputs, and lack of market information.

Cambodia has put in place key strategies and policies such as the Rectangular Strategy Phase IV, the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP 2019-2023), the e-Government Master Plan (2017-2020), the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Development (2019-2023), and it is currently elaborating the Agriculture Master Plan 2030, all of which  highlight  the need to further develop digital economy and increase investment in agriculture modernization.

The use of good practices and technology in agriculture in Cambodia is progressing and accelerating. The implementation of net-houses for vegetable farming, drip irrigation, sowing machines, and farming drones for spreading seeds or fertilizer, all innovations being foundations in promoting an advanced agricultural sector looking forward.

This transformation is possible due to the fact that 45 percent of Cambodian farmers own smartphone, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), along with Cambodia’s existing strengths and opportunities, notably the young and educated population, coupled with a country’s rising middle class.

“MAFF’s key development strategic objectives and priorities are to continue promoting diversification and competitiveness of agriculture, ensuring quality, safe and nutritious products, while increasing the efficiency of sustainable management of land, forestry and fishery resources,” as stated by H.E. Chan Chesda, Secretary of State of the MAFF, while emphasizing the significant use of digital technologies in agriculture to realize these objectives.

Mr Oum Kosal, Assistant FAO Representative in Cambodia (Programme), commented that, “ICTs is one of the key enabling determinants of increased competitiveness of many economic sectors, including agriculture. However, what is required is not only digital technologies, but also adequate connectivity and digital literacy for broad access and widely shared benefits.”

He further added that the e-agriculture strategy will help rationalize the allocation of financial and human resources and holistically address ICT opportunities and challenges in a more efficient and effective manner for the sector. The strategy will also help generating new revenue streams and improve the livelihoods of rural communities, as well as ensuring that the goals of the national Agriculture Master Plan are achieved. The existence of a comprehensive national strategy can also prevent e-agriculture projects from being implemented in isolation, avoiding duplication of efforts and resources.