PHOTO SUPPLIED; Farmers demonstrate a machine used to shred tree branches to use as fertiliser in Kampong Thom province. A shortage of farmhands is preventing Cambodia’s agriculture sector from realising its full potential. The Phnom Penh Post
Written by Kay Kimsong
Thursday, 04 September 2008
As Cambodia's agricultural sector moves to compete in a robust global market, farmers are embracing new technology over traditional methods
Proposed improvements to Cambodia's agricultural infrastructure and a growing reliance on agribusiness as a principal engine of economic growth are changing the way farmers produce and market their goods.
Srey Bun Doeun, who earned a master's degree in agricultural engineering after studying in Russia and Thailand, spent more than a decade waiting to find a market for his skills in the production of machines that simplify labour-intensive tasks and generally make life easier for farmers.
"I noted that Cambodian farmers have begun changing their habits," Srey Bun Doeun said. "They are moving from subsistence farming to large-scale production to compete in Cambodia's growing agro-industry."
Those changes could mean big profits for Srey Bun Doeun, a father of two whose line of homemade agricultural machines includes a waste shredder, grass cutter, cassava peeler and peanut sheller.
Shortage of farmhands
Srey Bun Doeun said his products could soon be in high demand because many farmers face a shortage of manpower to cultivate and harvest their land.
"Some farmers have hundreds of hectares of land but can't find enough workers to harvest crops," he said. "My aim is to replace people with machinery in order to increase the capacity and efficiency of the process."
" A strong and growing agricultural sector will lead to growth in other sectors as well. "
The budding industrialist works with a partner in a Meanchey district workshop that can produce as many as 30 machines each month. His prices range from US$2,500 to $3,000 per machine.
Ngov Sroy, a farmer in Kampong Thom province, purchased one of Srey Bun Doeun's waste shredders to make effective micro-organism (EM) organic fertiliser for his 30-hectare cashew plantation.
He said the production of EM materials is time-consuming but much safer for the environment than chemical-based fertilisers.
"My waste shredder is a locally made machine that can replace 20 to 30 workers," he said.
The growing popularity of agricultural machines follows a push by government officials to modernise the Kingdom's agricultural sector in the wake of booming exports.
Last month saw the beginning of negotiations with Kuwait for nearly $600 million in development loans to upgrade irrigation systems throughout the country. As agriculture plays a larger role in the national economy, farmers must increase efficiency and output to compete.
Yang Saing Koma, director of Cambodia Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, said agriculture has become the foundation of economic growth in the Kingdom, and new agricultural technologies will play a vital role in sustaining that growth and strengthening the economy as a whole
."A strong and growing agricultural sector will lead to growth in other sectors as well," he said.
New techniques needed
Kasie Noeu, former secretary of state for the Ministry of Justice and current president of the Peace and Development Institute, said traditional agricultural techniques can no longer sustain the necessary market growth.
"It is the right time for farmers with large-scale operations to take advantage of new machinery. Otherwise, they will miss an incredible opportunity," he said.
He said many Cambodian workers have turned to other labour markets in South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia for jobs in agriculture or construction, leaving a shortage of available manpower at home. "At my own farm, I can't find enough people to harvest bananas for my cattle, so I'm currently negotiating for a banana tree cutter."
Kasie Noeu said he strongly advocates innovations in agricultural engineering and hopes that new products for planting, harvesting and processing will soon be available.
"If we can employ all these machines on farms across Cambodia, our agricultural output would increase more than 100 times what we have been able to produce by traditional methods," he said.
28.5% of GDP comes from the agriculture sector
As the Kingdom moves to develop its agro-industry sector, the government is trying to push farmers to abandon traditional methods.
Srun Darith, deputy secretary general of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, said agriculture comprised 28.5 percent of Cambodia's GDP in 2007, but that a shift toward a new "era of machines" could see that number rise in coming years.
He said Cambodia produces more than 6 million tonnes of rice each year, only 4 million of which is consumed by the domestic market.
"If we could use machines for agriculture and use all available land, Cambodia could produce as much as 15 million tonnes of rice in a year," Srun Darith said.
Written by Kay Kimsong
Thursday, 04 September 2008
As Cambodia's agricultural sector moves to compete in a robust global market, farmers are embracing new technology over traditional methods
Proposed improvements to Cambodia's agricultural infrastructure and a growing reliance on agribusiness as a principal engine of economic growth are changing the way farmers produce and market their goods.
Srey Bun Doeun, who earned a master's degree in agricultural engineering after studying in Russia and Thailand, spent more than a decade waiting to find a market for his skills in the production of machines that simplify labour-intensive tasks and generally make life easier for farmers.
"I noted that Cambodian farmers have begun changing their habits," Srey Bun Doeun said. "They are moving from subsistence farming to large-scale production to compete in Cambodia's growing agro-industry."
Those changes could mean big profits for Srey Bun Doeun, a father of two whose line of homemade agricultural machines includes a waste shredder, grass cutter, cassava peeler and peanut sheller.
Shortage of farmhands
Srey Bun Doeun said his products could soon be in high demand because many farmers face a shortage of manpower to cultivate and harvest their land.
"Some farmers have hundreds of hectares of land but can't find enough workers to harvest crops," he said. "My aim is to replace people with machinery in order to increase the capacity and efficiency of the process."
" A strong and growing agricultural sector will lead to growth in other sectors as well. "
The budding industrialist works with a partner in a Meanchey district workshop that can produce as many as 30 machines each month. His prices range from US$2,500 to $3,000 per machine.
Ngov Sroy, a farmer in Kampong Thom province, purchased one of Srey Bun Doeun's waste shredders to make effective micro-organism (EM) organic fertiliser for his 30-hectare cashew plantation.
He said the production of EM materials is time-consuming but much safer for the environment than chemical-based fertilisers.
"My waste shredder is a locally made machine that can replace 20 to 30 workers," he said.
The growing popularity of agricultural machines follows a push by government officials to modernise the Kingdom's agricultural sector in the wake of booming exports.
Last month saw the beginning of negotiations with Kuwait for nearly $600 million in development loans to upgrade irrigation systems throughout the country. As agriculture plays a larger role in the national economy, farmers must increase efficiency and output to compete.
Yang Saing Koma, director of Cambodia Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, said agriculture has become the foundation of economic growth in the Kingdom, and new agricultural technologies will play a vital role in sustaining that growth and strengthening the economy as a whole
."A strong and growing agricultural sector will lead to growth in other sectors as well," he said.
New techniques needed
Kasie Noeu, former secretary of state for the Ministry of Justice and current president of the Peace and Development Institute, said traditional agricultural techniques can no longer sustain the necessary market growth.
"It is the right time for farmers with large-scale operations to take advantage of new machinery. Otherwise, they will miss an incredible opportunity," he said.
He said many Cambodian workers have turned to other labour markets in South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia for jobs in agriculture or construction, leaving a shortage of available manpower at home. "At my own farm, I can't find enough people to harvest bananas for my cattle, so I'm currently negotiating for a banana tree cutter."
Kasie Noeu said he strongly advocates innovations in agricultural engineering and hopes that new products for planting, harvesting and processing will soon be available.
"If we can employ all these machines on farms across Cambodia, our agricultural output would increase more than 100 times what we have been able to produce by traditional methods," he said.
28.5% of GDP comes from the agriculture sector
As the Kingdom moves to develop its agro-industry sector, the government is trying to push farmers to abandon traditional methods.
Srun Darith, deputy secretary general of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, said agriculture comprised 28.5 percent of Cambodia's GDP in 2007, but that a shift toward a new "era of machines" could see that number rise in coming years.
He said Cambodia produces more than 6 million tonnes of rice each year, only 4 million of which is consumed by the domestic market.
"If we could use machines for agriculture and use all available land, Cambodia could produce as much as 15 million tonnes of rice in a year," Srun Darith said.
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