This wiki is designed to support the work of the ACIAR-funded project (ASEM-200-130) - "Cambodia Crop Production and Marketing Project". In Cambodia, the overarching aim of the project is to improve agricultural value chains as a key to sustainable growth and poverty reduction. The project will facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information at all stages of the value chain from farmer to end-user. This will deliver practical benefits including improved food security, increased income, and reduced vulnerability to disruptions for rural poor farmers. In north-western NSW, the aim is to address lack of adoption of conservation farming practices, increase summer crop diversity and to develop strategies for adaptation of farming systems to climate change.
ASEM/2006/130 will focus on production and marketing problems faced by poor smallholder farmers in north-western Cambodia. Production of crops such as maize and soybean have rapidly expanded however, in the space of 10 years, crop yields are now declining and soils are being degraded by excessive cultivation and burning. The development has been largely driven by market demand in Thailand. Local farmers are disadvantaged by lack of market information, inadequate post-harvest technology, and transport infrastructure.
The proposed Australia-based collaborators in the project are the University of New England (UNE), the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), The University of Canberra (UC) and CSIRO. Collaborators in Cambodia are the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the Maddox Jolie Pitt foundation (MJP) and CARE International. The Provincial Departments of Agriculture in Battambang and Pailin will be engaged via MOUs and secondments with MJP and CARE.