Final Report Activities For Camb

Organisation for International Dialogue KEF Project 161
and Conflict Management (IDC)

Dr. Angela Meyer
Kaiserstrasse 50/6
1070 Vienna/ Austria
PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

IN CAMBODIA
– Cambiodiversity –
FINAL REPORT
October 2009
Project financed by the Commission for Development Studies

(KEF) at the OeAD-GmbH
Dr. Angela Meyer (IDC, Vienna), Project Coordinator

DI Veronika Hager (BOKU, Vienna)
Dean Sophal Chuong (Royal University of Agriculture (RUA,
Phnom Penh)
Final Report
This Final Report of the Project Cambiodiversity (161) has been compiled in October
and November 2009 by the Cambiodiversity Consortium, represented by:
Dr. Angela Meyer (Project Coordinator), Organisation for International Dialogue and
Conflict Management (IDC)
DI Veronika Hager, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences
(BOKU)
Dean Sophal Chuong, Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)
All pictures by Angela Meyer, Veronika Hager and Sophal Chuong
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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT......................................... 6
BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT ..................................................................................... 6

AIM, APPROACH AND PURPOSES OF THE PROJECT ............................................................. 7
PROJECT TEAM ........................................................................................................... 9
2. ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................... 14
2.1. MAJOR ACTIVITIES WITHIN WORK PACKAGE 1........................................................ 15

3. OUTCOMES AND IMPACT ............................................................................... 28
3.1 ANALYSIS OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS ....................................................................... 28

REASONS FOR THE PREDOMINANCE OF RICE IN CAMBODIA ............................................28
USE OF RICE IN CAMBODIA .......................................................................................30
CULTIVATION OF NON-RICE CROPS.............................................................................30
OBSTACLES OR BARRIERS TOWARDS FURTHER DIVERSIFICATION OF CAMBODIAN
AGRICULTURE ...............................................................................................................31
POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS ...........................32
INCENTIVE FACTORS THAT COULD PROMOTE DIVERSIFICATION ......................................33
SUBSTITUTE CROPS TO RICE ......................................................................................35
TRIALS, PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES OF SUBSTITUTE CROPS TO RICE ..............................35
THE ACCEPTANCE OF FARMERS TO PARTLY SUBSTITUTE RICE WITH OTHER CROPS .............36
IDEAS, MODELS, STRATEGIES, PLANS OR APPROACHES TO PROMOTE INCREASED AGRO-
DIVERSITY ...................................................................................................................36
PROJECTS TO SUPPORT THE DIVERSIFICATION OF CAMBODIAN AGRICULTURE ..................37
3.2. RELEVANCE OF RESULTS AND EXPECTED IMPACT ..................................................... 37
RELEVANCE IN CONSIDERATION OF THE SET GOALS ......................................................37
IMPACT IN VIEW OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND POVERTY REDUCTION (UN
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS) ..............................................................................40
3.3. THE SUSTAINABILITY OF RESEARCH EFFORTS BEYOND THE PROJECT’S LIFETIME ............ 42
ONGOING FIELD TESTS .............................................................................................42
AWARENESS RAISING MEASURES ...............................................................................42
REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NETWORKING ............................................................43
3.4. NETWORKING AND IDEAS FOR FELLOW-UP PROJECTS .............................................. 43
LILAC....................................................................................................................43
ISRAELI GENE BANK FOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS VOLCANI CENTER, ISRAEL .43
KHON KAEN UNIVERSITY (KKU), THAILAND ......................................................44
4. RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................... 45
IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND GUARANTEE THE MAINTENANCE OF IRRIGATION

SYSTEMS ...................................................................................................................45
REDUCE THE RISK RELATED TO GROWING NON-RICE CROPS ..........................46
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IMPROVE THE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE FARMERS AND THE GOVERNMENT
LEVEL TO BETTER TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE FARMERS’ NEEDS AND
CONCERNS AND PROVIDE MORE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE....................................47
SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS .............48
5. ABSTRACT ...................................................................................................... 50
6. REFERENCES .................................................................................................. 52
7. ANNEX: .......................................................................................................... 55
List and abbreviations of mentioned organisations and treaties
CARDI Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute
CEDAC Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture
CIRAD Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le

Développement/ French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development
DED German Development Service
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation
GERES Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités
GRET Groupe de recherche et d’échanges technologiques/ Research and

Technological Exchange Group
MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
PDAC Project for Diversification of Agriculture in Cambodia
PUAC Peri-Urban Agriculture Centre
CBD United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity
ITPGR International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources
UNEP - GEF United Nations Development Programme - Global Environment Facility
UN MDG United Nations Millennium Goal(s)
WFP World Food Programme
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1. Introduction and Overview of the Project
Background of the project

Rice presents the predominant crop in Cambodia. Currently, about 81% of
agricultural land are devoted to rice cultivation (MAFF, 2009). As a result, every
increase in total agricultural output closely mirrors increases in rice production.
Cambodia’s agricultural sector is dominated by subsistence or semi-subsistence
smallholdings. Rice not only presents a major income source but is also the main
basis for the population’s nutrition. More than 75% of the average daily caloric intake
are covered by rice and even the Khmer word for rice is synonymous for food in
general.
Since Cambodia has become self sufficient in rice at a national level in 1999,
projects and programmes aiming at diversifying Cambodian agriculture have
gradually gained momentum. In 1995, the Kingdom ratified the United Nations
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and is since then increasingly showing
conviction to promoting sustainable development. In 2002, it signed the International
Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources (ITPGR), nurtured by the FAO and aiming at
guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use
of the world's plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
However, non-rice crops are still not sufficiently taken into account by national
policies or subject to researches, as these primarily continue to be focussed on rice-
based farming systems. As a consequence, the agricultural sector is still dominated
by rice, and rice production has more or less increased over the last 20 years
(FAOSTAT). The cultivation of non-rice crops, in return, such as mungbeans,
soybeans, taro or groundnuts, is rather underdeveloped and only serves for home
consumption or local markets.
The predominance of rice and the neglect of other crops is critical for several
reasons.
One major problem is the non-balanced nutrition of the population. Cambodia,
indeed, has one of the highest malnutrition rates in South-East Asia. According to the
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the average diet of
Cambodians consists of 78% starchy food, mainly rice and rice porridge with limited
nutritional value. Especially children suffer from high levels of malnutrition and
insufficient intake of vitamins. The predominance of rice in Cambodia’s diet is
moreover likely to lead to deficiencies in protein as well as in micronutrients, such as
iron and calcium. (WFP, 2009)
In addition, due to the dependence on rice as major source, the farmers’ income in
some provinces has been negatively affected, during the last years, by unstable
rainfall patterns and repeated drought periods causing important production
shortfalls.
The national economic concentration on rice also leads to a non-secure and
unsustainable food supply. Despite Cambodia’s self sufficiency in rice, the country
heavily depends on its neighbours for food other than rice.
Also extensive monocropping over a long period of time is likely to deplete the soil of
certain essential nutrients.
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Finally, on the global level, the predominance of rice in Cambodia’s agriculture rises
the risk of limited crop-diversity and the disappearance of plant genetic resources.
In this perspective, a further diversification of Cambodia’s agriculture seems key for
promoting the population’s balanced nutrition and well-being, fostering the country’s
sustainable development and economic progress as well as contributing to global
biodiversity.
However, the feasibility of a further diversification of Cambodia’s agricultural sector is
not only linked to technical, agronomic and climate related circumstances. It must
also take into consideration the conditions, concerns and expectations of the people
concerned, notably the farmers. The societal dimension is therefore of central
importance, but yet often neglected by studies and research.
Aim, approach and purposes of the Project
Aim
In view of this problematic and in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals
(MDG), Cambiodiversity’s main aim has been to make a substantial contribution to
exploring and paving the way towards a further diversification of the Cambodian
agricultural sector.
In this perspective, the project has aimed to assess and analyse the major multiple
reasons and circumstances of the current predominance of rice and to investigate the
conditions and especially the technical, economic and social realisability of a stronger
and sustainable diversification of Cambodia’s agriculture.
Especially, through its focus on the social acceptance and farmers’ expectations and
concerns, Cambiodiversity has intended to go a step further than many studies and
projects on agricultural diversification that emphasize the agro-climatic context and to
pay particular attention to the socio-economic context of the diversification issue.1
Approach
To achieve this aim, the project team has adopted a threefold approach:
Assessment activities carried out in the first part of the project were intended
to provide a detailed picture of Cambodia’s biodiversity and especially the role played
by rice. On the one hand, the questions - why rice is playing such a predominant role
in Cambodia’s agriculture, what is the main context and reasons for this
predominance and under what conditions further diversification of the agricultural
sector could be possible - guided the review of relevant publications and literature.
On the other hand, these issues were discussed with farmers and other relevant
stakeholders in a series of interviews in view of better assessing these actors’ know
how, positions and expectations. The idea behind these activities was to get a clearer
understanding of the central role played by rice and to discuss ways and possibilities
of agro-diversification with farmers, researchers and policy makers directly
concerned by these issues. Especially the direct involvement of farmers, of whom in
1
Please refer to the third part of this Report for more information on other projects focusing on rice in
Cambodia.
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total 180 have been interviewed in several provinces of the country, was intended to
foster a bottom-up approach in the analysis and elaboration of recommendations.
Additional 60 interviews have been conducted with policy makers and technical staff,
as well as scientists, researchers and staff from international and non-governmental
organisations, in view of complementing and comparing the farmers’ answers with
these groups’ statements and points of view.
A second approach has been to promote the cooperation of the Cambodian
project partner, RUA, with other researchers and to strengthen North-South and
South-South contacts and networks. The focus here has particularly been set on
contacts to international researchers and institutions working on the issue of
biodiversity, as well as to experts from other Asian countries where different models
for agro-diversification exist. The main activity here has been the joint participation of
the project team at the International conference held by the EC FP6 project
Diverseeds in Kunming, China, in September 2008. This has allowed to meet and
strengthen the contacts with this project consortium composed of European, Israeli,
Chinese and South-East-Asian experts in agricultural biodiversity and plant genetic
resource preservation, and to present the Cambiodiversity project in view of
stimulating a discussion on best practices and their applicability on the Cambodian
case, as well as on lessons learned and experiences in other, including neighbouring
countries.2
As a third approach towards making a contribution to promoting stronger
agricultural biodiversity in Cambodia, the team has jointly elaborated a set of
recommendations, reflecting the results and outcomes from the previous project
activities, mainly the series of interviews with farmers and other stakeholders. The
idea behind was to provide especially stakeholders and policy makers with guidelines
and suggestions that consider the position, interests and concerns of farmers and
hereby contribute towards making policies more responsive to both, biodiversity
concerns and local needs.
Purposes
The project had four major purposes, closely aligned with the UN Millennium Goals.
A first purpose has been to support the Cambodian researchers from the
Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) to study and analyse the context of current rice
predominance and assess the context and circumstances of agro-diversification.
Apart from contributing to advancing their research on biodiversity in their country, a
special focus has notably been set on giving in particular master students the
possibility to get involved, mainly in the conduction and evaluation of stakeholder
interviews, to have more practical training, and to gain more insight in the conditions
in the farmer villages.
2 The EC FP6 project Diverseeds (Networking on conservation and use of plant genetic resources in
Europe and Asia) has been implemented from 12/ 2006 until 11/ 2008, under the coordination of IDC.
The project’s aim was to encourage international dialogue and co-operation to find ways
of safeguarding and preserving plant genetic resources. The Diverseeds consortium has
encompassed four Asian partners - the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and
the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in China, the Khon Kaen University in Thailand and
the Hanoi Agricultural University in Vietnam -, four European institutions - IDC (Austria), the BOKU
(Austria), the University of Kassel (Germany) and the Birmingham University (United Kingdom), as
well as the international research organization Bioversity-IPGRI and the Volcani Institute (Israel).
8
As second purpose, the project was intended to make a contribution to the
reduction of poverty in Cambodia. The project hereby emphasised the relevance of
crop diversity and agro-biodiversity for promoting and achieving major factors
relevant for poverty alleviation, such as a balanced nutrition, food security, better
diversified market conditions, reduced external dependencies and vulnerability for
economic crises and shortages.
Closely linked, the team also intended to pay particular attention to relevant
gender aspects and promote the role of women. This intention is primarily based on
the acknowledgement that, for long, biodiversity and sustainable development issues
have been addressed in gender neutral way, assuming that constraints impact men
and women in similar ways. This has led in most cases to “gender blind” policies and
projects that have not been adapted to the reality and have thereby failed to address
the specific needs and concerns of both gender groups. A third purpose of
Cambiodiversity has therefore been to emphasize, by focusing on the specific
situation in Cambodia - and mainly in Cambodia’s countryside -, the central role
played by women for achieving sustainable development and efficient biodiversity
conservation. Women indeed are significantly involved in local farming and crop
production, and mainly responsible for the preparation of food and the families’
nutrition. Improving their knowledge and understanding, especially as regards the
importance of balanced food choice and diets, would increase their awareness on the
necessity of diversified farming and crop-diversity. At the same time, women are
most often excluded from major decision making and policy processes, as they lack
the ability and possibilities to access appropriate channels. One of the project’s
intentions has therefore been to particularly involve women in the assessment
activities and to give them the possibility to express their needs, concerns and
expectations in the interviews.
A fourth purpose has finally been to raise the awareness on the global
importance and urgency of protecting and conserving the world’s biodiversity and to
contribute to the promotion of global sustainable development.
Project Team
The project team has consisted of two Austrian and one Cambodian institutions. The
basis for this very well working cooperation had already been set in the frame of the
EC FP6 project Agrofolio - Benefiting from an Improved Agricultural Portfolio in Asia.
As members of this project consortium, the three partners had already worked
together in identifying neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in Cambodia, as
well as in a couple of other Asian countries, and in elaborating ways for their
protection and conservation. This well proved collaboration, as well as the identified
further research needs had encouraged the partners to renew and consolidate their
collaboration.3
The project implementation was based on a jointly elaborated project plan and
distribution of tasks according to capacities and priorities.
The Austrian coordinator IDC essentially contributed to the project management and
coordination. Besides administrative and management activities, IDC also guided the
3 Detailed information on the EU FP6 project Agrofolio, as well as the project’s final report
presenting all major outcomes are available on the project’s website www.agrofolio.eu
9
preparatory tasks for the assessment activities, notably by drafting the questionnaire
for stakeholder interviews and the guidelines for the literature review, assisted the
analysis of results and coordinated the meetings, the attendance of the International
Conference in China, and the information event by the end of the project.
The part of RUA, in contrast, was a more practical one, as the university completed
the assessment and the major part of the analysis activities under the cooperation
and monitoring of IDC.
Project partner BOKU assisted both project partners: It contributed to the
management activities of IDC as well as advised RUA in the assessment and
evaluation activities.
Project Management
The Organisation for International Dialogue

and Conflict Management (IDC)
(Dr. Angela Meyer) - Vienna, AUSTRIA
IDC is an interdisciplinary policy research organisation based in Vienna and

established under the Austrian Law of Associations (Vereinsgesetz) since 2002.
Composed of experts from different scientific and professional backgrounds, IDC has
developed a strong commitment to international environmental issues, by paying
particular attention to biodiversity, potential impacts of environmental challenges and
transformations for sustainable social and economic development, as well as the
importance and possibilities of civil society involvement towards sustainable policy
making and agenda setting. Over the past years, IDC has coordinated and taken part
in a total of five EC FP projects and four nationally funded research projects.
Role and Task in the Project: Within Cambiodiversity, IDC has been in charge of the
supervision and management of the project activities. The project coordination has
been ensured by Angela Meyer who has overseen and coordinated the advancement
of the project according to the project plan, ensured the communication within the
consortium and with the contractor (KEF), provided the administrative management
and coordinated the regular and accurate reporting of the project's results. As the
coordinator, Angela Meyer has also supported the partners from RUA in the
preparation and conduction of assessment activities, assisted the organisation of the
project meeting in Phnom Penh in August 2008 and of the Information Event at RUA
in September 2009, and guided the elaboration of recommendations. In addition, the
regular exchange and networking with the international scientific community has
been promoted, notably in view of possibilities for cooperation, synergies and follow-
up projects.
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Organisation for International Dialogue and Conflict Management (IDC)
Kaiserstrasse 50/6
1070 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43.1.9900811
www.idialog.eu
Project Collaborator in Austria
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences,

Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology,
Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding
(DI Veronika Hager) - Vienna, AUSTRIA
The Institute’s central goal is the development of integrated plant production
methodologies that decrease the risks for environmental degradation, guarantee high
productivity and good quality for further food production. In plant breeding the
methodological basis and its practical applications are investigated to develop new
varieties (genotypes) with an increased genetic potential towards, yield, quality and
resistance. Therefore the Institute has growing interest in the sustainable use of plant
genetic resources. Recent projects dealt e.g. with “old” traditional crop varieties,
underutilized crops and plant production in tropical and subtropical regions. In the
context of cooperation with developing countries several projects were carried out in
cooperation with African and Asian partners. These projects are also meant for
education and qualification of young scientists in developing countries.
Role and Task in the Project: As project partner, BOKU has been responsible for
assisting and supporting the partners at RUA in implementing the major research
activities. Veronika Hager has provided advice for the conduction of interviews with
farmers, the review activities and the elaboration and finalisation of the project's
recommendations. Veronika Hager has moreover assisted Angela Meyer in the
project management and reporting, the organisation of meetings and events and the
regular dissemination of results, notably through the project website.
Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding

Gregor Mendel Strasse 30
1180 Vienna, Austria
http://www.dapp.boku.ac.at/124.html?&&L=1
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Project Collaborator in Cambodia
The Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)

(Dean Sophal Chuong)
Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA
The Royal University of Agriculture is a public administrative institution with the

mission to offer quality education and training programs to students and staff in rural
and agricultural fields; to conduct rural and agricultural research themes in close
cooperation with local and international research institutes and industrial companies;
and to create an information center for disseminating agricultural sciences and
technology to farm communities.
The RUA Faculty of Agronomy specializes in agricultural science concerned with
theory and practice of field-crop production and soil management. Its objectives are:
- through applied and basic research, to seek relevant knowledge in the area of
agronomy and agricultural sciences;
- to extend relevant knowledge and professional skills in the area of agronomy
and agricultural sciences to students through an appropriate educational
curriculum; and
- to extend new, relevant knowledge concerning agricultural production
methods and strategies, as well as resource management and conservation,
to farmers and the agricultural community at large.
Role and Tasks in the project: As project partner in Cambodia, RUA has been
responsible for the implementation of the project on the ground, including the
carrying out of the assessment activities, the organisation of a project meeting and
the Information Event and dissemination and awareness raising activities. Under the
supervision of Sophal Chuong, Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy, a group of students
and graduates has conducted a series of interviews with farmers, scientists, decision-
makers and other relevant stakeholders in Phnom Penh and several Cambodian
provinces and undertaken intense literature review and research activities focused on
the predominant position of rice in the country. In close cooperation with IDC and
BOKU, RUA has processed and analysed the collected data and elaborated target
group specific recommendations.
Royal University of Agriculture

Dongkor District
Phnom Penh, Cambodia,
P.O.Box: 2696
Tel:(855) 23 219 829 / Fax:(855) 23 219 753 690
http://www.rua.edu.kh
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From left: Angela Meyer, Sophal Chuong, Veronika Hager (Sept. 2008)
13
2. Activities
The project Cambiodiversity was structured into five work packages.
Work package 1 encompassed all coordination and management activities, including

the production of the mid-term and the final report.
Work package 2 covered all assessment and survey activities in Cambodia in form of
interviews with farmers, policy-makers and selected stakeholders, as well as the
review of major relevant publications and the composition of the assessment report.4
Work package 3 included the organization of the project meeting at Royal University
of Agriculture in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and the joint attendance of the project
partners of the International Conference on “Networking on conservation and use of
plant genetic resources in Europe and Asia” in Kunming, China.
Work package 4 focused on the elaboration of recommendations and their
presentation in a summarizing report and on a specific Information Event at the RUA
premises in Phnom Penh at the final phase of the project.
Work package 5 comprised all dissemination activities, notably the set up and regular
update of a project website http://www.idialog.eu/index.php?page=cambiodiversity
and the production and circulation of information material. (e.g. folder and poster)
Gantt chart of the project activities, as defined in the project proposal (submitted 01/2008: NB: The
International Conference was initially planned to take place in Beijing and was then organised in
Kunming.
4
The Assessment Report, as well as the Recommendations Report, is available as downloads on the
project website: www.idialog.eu/index.php?page=Cambiodiversity
14
Work packages 1 and 5 run for the entire duration of the project, i.e. from April 2008
until October 2009. Work package 3 had entirely been implemented during the first
reporting period (April 2008 - January 2009). While work package 2 had its essential
activities during this first time span too, some of its activities were finalized during the
second period (January - October 2009). Work package 4 was performed during the
last 6 months of the project.
2.1. Major activities within Work package 1

The major activities performed within work package 1 were intended to support and
guarantee the coordination and administrative management of the project. They
primarily consisted in monitoring, overseeing and assisting the project’s
advancement and guaranteeing a work flow and progress according to the initially
established work plan and the set deadlines. One major task had moreover been the
preparation of the midterm progress report and the here presented final report.

Focusing on the assessment of Cambodia’s agriculture, the reasons and
circumstances of the predominance of rice and possible approaches for
diversification, this work package covered three major activity clusters: (1) the
preparation of assessment activities, (2) their conduction and (3) the final evaluation
and analysis.
The first part, the preparation of guidelines for the review and interview activities, had
been jointly performed by the researchers from IDC, BOKU and RUA during the first
months of the project. Through exchange of e-mails, and regular face-to-face contact
of the Austrian partners the team started by discussing, on the one hand, what
information the literature review should allow to provide and what kind of publications
should hence be consulted. On the other hand, and in a similar way, they identified
major issues and topics to be addressed during the interviews and how these could
best be formulated in questions.
Based on these considerations, they jointly elaborated a template to be used for
collecting the needed information during the literature review, as well as two sets of
questionnaires - one to be used with farmers, and the other one to be used with
policy-makers, researchers and other relevant stakeholders.
During the project meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in August 2008, the team
jointly undertook a first series of pre-test interviews with farmers in the provinces of
Kampong Speu and Kandal.
15
Interview with farmers
Afterwards, the project partners discussed the appropriateness of the questionnaires

and made minor changes and adaptations. It was agreed to begin the major part of
the interviews after the ending of the rainy season (i.e. from end of September on), in
order to have better accessibility conditions.
The second part of work package 2, the conduction of interviews and the review of
relevant documentation, has been started, as convened, from end of September/
beginning of October on.
(1) Interviews
Locations and number of interviews conducted
A total of 240 interviews have been conducted allover Cambodia.
By December 2008, interviews with representatives of farming households
throughout Cambodia were completed. In total, the team from RUA interviewed 180
representatives of farming households in 12 provinces of Cambodia.
In addition, 29 policy makers, mainly district-level Ministry of Agriculture workers in
the provinces, and 31 researchers, scientists and staff from international and non
governmental organizations have been interviewed.
Whereas, 48,33% of the interviewed farmers were women, the policy-makers were
all male and only one woman was among the researchers and scientists involved in
these activities.
Districts
Respondents per
Province per Name of Districts
Province
Province
Ek Phnom; Sang Ke; Bor Vil;
Battambang 7 Thmor Kol; Mong Reussey; 15
Battambang; Ratana Mondol
Kampong Samrong Torng; Phnom Sruoch;
3 15
Speu Korng Pisey
Kampot 4 Trapeang Thom; 15
Dang Torng; Kpg
16
Districts
Respondents per
Province per Name of Districts
Province
Province
Trach; Banteay Meas
Saang; Mouk Kampoul;
Kandal 3 15
Pognealoeu
Tbong Khmum; Tam Be; Chamcar
Kpg Cham 5 15
Leu; Kpg Siem; Prey Chhor
Kpg Kpg Chhnang; Rolea Pha Ear;
3 15
Chhnang Kpg Leng
Kpg Thom 3 Stong; Prasat Sambo; San Touk 15
Kratie 3 Sam Bo; Chhlong; Sluol 15
Kpg Leav; Peam Ro; Preas Sdach;
Prey Veng 4 15
Kpg Tra Bek
Ratanakiri 1 O Chhum 15
Siem Reap 2 Puok; Banteay Srey 15
Stung
2 Siem Bok; Thala Boravath 15
Treng
Total 180
of which
Men: 95
Women: 85
Locations and amounts of interviews conducted with a representative of a farm household in 12

provinces of Cambodia.
The 12 provinces where interviews with representatives of farming households were

conducted included:
- Seven lowland provinces, where rainfed rice agriculture dominates

(Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kandal,
Prey Veng and Siem Reap),
- Four upland provinces, where more diversified agricultural practices are
common (Kampong Cham, Kratie, Ratanakiri and Stung Treng)
- and a single coastal province (Kampot).
The names of each district in which households were selected for interview are given
in the table below, while their approximate location within Cambodia in shown in the
following map.
17
Approximate location of the district in the 12 provinces where interviews with
representatives of farming households took place. (map by Sophal Chuong)
In total, 29 policy makers have been interviewed.
Additional interviews have been carried out with 31 researchers, scientists and staff
from international and non governmental organizations.
Methodology behind location and respondent selection and interviewing
The RUA team was composed of the following researchers:

Mr. Chuong Sophal, Dean of the Faculty of Agronomy;
Mr. Ro Sophoan Rith, Lecturer at the Faculty of Agronomy and project
assistant;
Mr. Ly Tyneth, forth year B.Sc. student, Faculty of Agronomy; and
Mr. Preap Madora, forth year B.Sc. student, Faculty of Agronomy.
The twelve provinces were selected on the basis of agro-ecosystem (i.e. upland,
lowland and coastal) in order to guarantee a fairly good representation of Cambodia
as a whole.
Subsequently the director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture of each
selected province was contacted. The objective of the project was explained to the
director, who was then asked to provide background details on the agricultural
situation and history of the province, and hence to point out authorities that could
facilitate interviews with farmers, as well as technical staff and policymakers that
could be used for interviews.
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Within the provinces, the selection of districts and then communities was done at
random. In every district, four to five households per commune were asked for
interview. To ensure the representativeness of the data collected, it was decided to
conduct a total of 15 interviews with farmers in every province, making a total of 180
interviews for all 12 selected provinces.
The conduction of interviews with policy makers and technical staff was sometimes
retarded due to the often busy agendas of these stakeholders and the difficulty to fix
appointments.
.
All interviews were conducted using the jointly elaborated questionnaire and
according to the predetermined interview guideline. While few of the interviews posed
any major problems, it was evident that many farmers were often reluctant to provide
family information, possibly because they had negative experiences with similar
types of surveys. After the objectives of the research were made clear to the farmers,
however, it was generally very easy to discuss with them information, views and
opinions relevant to the research.
(2) Review activities

For the review, the two students, Mr. Ly Tyneth and Mr. Preap Madora, as well as the
dean, Mr. Chuong Sophal, contacted the relevant libraries at the relevant ministries,
academic institutions or NGO/GOs. Subsequently, documents related to crop
production in Cambodia, to agricultural history, to past and recent crop production,
agricultural market, agricultural policy, constraints and strategies to circumvent
constraints were selected. Often, access to literature was difficult and unfortunately,
not much could be borrowed.
In total, 34 publications have been reviewed, of which:
- 11 Scientific publications and documents;
- 18 Reports by national and international institutions;
- 2 Policy texts
- 2 Journal Articles
- 1 Project/ Conference Report
The detailed results from the review have been summarized in the project’s
Assessment Report and form, together with the interview outcomes, the main pillar
for the analysis.5

Work package 3 was organized around the two meetings and their preparation: a
project meeting of the team at RUA in Phnom Penh and the joint attendance of the
International Conference on plant genetic resource conservation in Kunming, China.
In order to save travel costs, it has been agreed by the team to schedule the meeting
at RUA in accordance with the China conference. Hence, Angela Meyer from IDC
and Veronika Hager from BOKU met their partners from RUA from August 25th to
5
The Assessment Report, as well as the Recommendations Report, is available as downloads on the
project website: www.idialog.eu/index.php?page=Cambiodiversity
19
August 31st, and subsequently participated at the International Conference, together
with Sophal Chuong from RUA.
In addition, and not initially foreseen in the project plan, Chuong Sophal came to
Vienna to attend the round table dicussion, which was coordinated by the
Commission for Development Studies at the OeAD-GmbH (KEF) at April, 15th 2009.
Project Meeting in Cambodia, 25.08. - 31. 08.2008
The project meeting in Cambodia encompassed a half-day meeting at the Royal

University for Agriculture to discuss the implementation of the project, to evaluate
already completed and schedule projected activities and to visit the university’s
premises. Moreover, the meeting included the preparation and carrying out of first
joint series of interviews with farmers in communes around the city of Phnom Penh.
Meeting at RUA, 26.08.2008

The first project meeting of the KEF funded project Cambiodiversity was held on 26
August 2008 in the Dean’s office at Royal University for Agriculture.
On August 26th, Angela Meyer and Veronika Hager met with their partner from RUA,
Dean Sophal Chuong. They were joined by Adrian Bolliger (adviser from the German
Development Service, DED) and a group of Cambodian students involved in the
implementation of Cambiodiversity at RUA.
At the beginning of the meeting, Sophal Choung and his students briefly reported on
the assessment and review activities underway. They explained their way of
proceeding for the review and evaluation of already existing material and information
relevant for the project and what progress have already been achieved in assessing
the current agricultural situation in Cambodia, the predominance of rice and the
feasibility of further biodiversification. Moreover, they presented some of the most
important documentation and publication they were mainly consulting for collecting
most relevant facts, information and knowledge.
During the second part of the meeting, the project participants discussed the
foreseen interview activities. Together, they went through the interview guidelines
and questionnaires they had jointly prepared previously. Sophal Chuong presented
the changes and modifications he considered important to make on the initial drafts.
The team discussed more intensively the conduction of interviews with farmers as
the first set of interviews foreseen in the project. As it has been a major concern of
the project to cover as many provinces as possible, the team localised the different
concerned rural areas on a map and discussed their differences, specificities and
importance for the project.
As a last part of the meeting, it was agreed to start a first joint set of interviews with
farmers on 28 and 29 August. The participants decided to visit first a village in the
commune of Kaheng in Kampong Speu Province where mainly rice is cultivated. For
the second day it was planned to interview farmers in the province of Kandal, first in
the commune of Krang Yov where agricultural cultivation is mainly based on
vegetables, and second in Tik Vil where again mainly rice is cultivated.
20
Finally, Angela Meyer and Veronika Hager visited the Faculty’s facilities (laboratories,
auditoriums), the University’s experimental fields.
Veronika Hager, Angela Meyer, a student Students working in RUA’s test fields
from RUA, Adrian Bolliger and Sophal
Chuong (from left) in Sophal Chuong’s
office at RUA
First series of interviews with farmers, 28. and 29.08.2008
On 28 and 29 August, a first joint series of interviews had been conducted by the
Cambiodiversity team with farmers in the Provinces of Kampong Speu and Kandal.
In the Kampong Speu Province, the project team visited a farmer and his family.
Interviews were conducted with the family members by the project involved students,
according to the previously jointly elaborated guidelines and questionnaire. A more or
less equitable involvement of men and women in the interview activities was
respected.
Afterwards, the Cambiodiversity participants visited the farmer’s fields. Although this
farmer mainly cultivated rice for family consumption and as major source of income,
he also produced vegetables on a contractual basis for local and international NGOs.
He showed the Cambiodiversity team some fields with Batavia lettuce, tomatoes and
green beans cultivated for a local and a Belgian NGO that sold the crops to hotels
and restaurant in Cambodian tourist areas.
RUA students interviewing farmers in Interviews with land workers in Kandal

Kampong Speu Province. province.
21
Further interviews were conducted in the commune of Krang Yov in the province of
Kandal. Kandal is one of the major vegetable producing provinces in Cambodia. A
couple of interviews were undertaken with a group of land workers and a land owner.
The fields in the visited area are used for the production of sugar cane, beets, beans
and lettuce. Harvest is usually sold on local markets or transported to markets in the
capital of Phnom Penh.
Finally, a last series of interviews has been conducted with a farmer family in the
commune of Tik Vil in the Kandal Province. In contrast to the previously visited
villages in this province, farmers in this area predominantly cultivate rice. The
interviewed farmer grows rice on a total surface of apprx. 1 ha.
Interviewing the farmer on his rice fields Interviews with the farmer’s family (Tik Vil).
(Tik Vil)
Concluding meeting, 29.08.2008
Following these first three sessions, the Cambiodiversity team had a final meeting to
discuss the conduct, results and outcomes of the interviews, necessary amendments
on the questionnaire and ways for improvement. All partners agreed that the
willingness of the farmers to take part in the interviews was considerably high and
certainly will allow the conduction of the scheduled number of interviews. It was
moreover noted that especially women were very interested in participating and that
hence gender balance can be respected.
The questionnaire was adapted according to these first experiences.
International Conference in Kunming, China, 02.09 – 05.09.2008
From 2 to 5 September, 2008, the Cambiodiversity partners, Angela Meyer, Veronika

Hager and Sophal Chuong attended the International Conference organised in the
Chinese city of Kunming by the consortium of the EU FP6 project “Networking on
conservation and use of plant genetic resources in Europe and Asia”
(DIVERSEEDS).
The main aim of the project DIVERSEEDS, that was implemented from December
2007 until November 2008, has been to promote cooperation, networking and
22
(knowledge) exchange on genetic resources and their management between
European and Asian researchers and to open European research networks to Asian
experts in view of globally improving a sustainable use of plant genetic resources.
The DIVERSEEDS consortium is composed of plant genetic experts from Austria,
Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Israel, China, Thailand and Vietnam that have
closely worked together during the 2-years duration of the project in view of
contributing to the establishment of a strong communication and exchange platform.
As a final output of the project, the consortium elaborated a set of joint
recommendations on how to improve EU-Asian cooperation in the field of plant
genetic resource management. The conference in Kunming was the second and last
meeting of the entire consortium before the project’s ending by November 2008.
For the Cambiodiversity project team, the participation at this conference has been
an important possibility to meet with European and Asian experts working on different
aspects and approaches of biodiversity conservation and to present and discuss the
Cambiodiversity project.
On 2 September, Angela Meyer and Sophal Chuong were given the floor to make a
presentation of Cambiodiversity, its aims and objectives, the different activities and
the main achievements since its start. Sophal Chuong moreover briefly outlined the
current situation of Cambodia’s agriculture and the problem related to the
predominance of rice.
The following day was used for discussion in working groups. As one of the working
groups was focused on outlining ideas for fellow up projects and initiatives, as well as
possible synergies and networking with other projects, the Cambiodiversity partners
stressed the question what form of cooperation could be possible between the two
project teams. Representatives from the Khon Kaen University in neighbouring
Thailand for instance briefly reported on the comparable situation in their country and
how rice fields are used during the dry season for the cultivation of other crops. A
joint follow-up project might hence build on these experiences and practices, and
deepen the cooperation between RUA and the Thai partner institutions. An Israeli
expert made an interesting remark on irrigation methods that are currently developed
for Israel’s agriculture and that might also be relevant for promoting the cultivation of
non-rice crops during the dry season in Cambodia.
On the third day of the Conference, the participants had an excursion to the village of
Dashao (Sondming County) in Yunnan province, where farmers practise traditional
dry-upland farming. The agriculture is very rich and diversified in these areas, with
crops ranging from barley, maize and buckwheat to favabean, raddish, potato and
other vegetables. Currently, a UNEP-GEF supported project is being implemented in
Dashao focusing on the relationship between genetic diversity and disease control
for barley. At the end of the excursion, the participants visited the Kunming gene
bank.
23
Angela Meyer, giving a presentation on Sophal Chuong, making a presentation
the project Cambiodiversity. on Cambodia’s agriculture and current
challenges and concerns as major
background of Cambiodiversity.
The Cambiodiversity Team, in front of the The Conference Participants (Angela

Conference entrance. Meyer, Sophal Chuong and Veronika
Hager are standing in the first row as 4th,
th th
6 and 8 from left.)
Round table dicussion, 15.04.2009

On 15 April 2009, the founding agent KEF organised a roundtable at the University of
Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU, Vienna) to discuss previous
activities and preliminary outcomes and findings of Cambiodiversity. Apart from
Angela Meyer and Sophal Chuong, representing the Cambiodiversity project, the
panel was composed of two Austrian experts, Prof. Dr. Ralph Gretzmacher (BOKU,
Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Vienna) and Prof. Dr. Rainer Haas (BOKU,
Department of Economic and Social Sciences, Vienna). The roundtable was chaired
by KEF Chairman Prof. Dr. Gerhard Glatzel (BOKU, Department of Forest and Soil
Sciences, Vienna).
24
First photo from left to right: Dr. Angela Meyer, RUA-Dean Sophal Chuong, Prof. Dr. Rainer Haas,
Prof. Dr. Ralph Gretzmacher / Second photo from left to right: RUA-Dean Sophal Chuong, Prof. Dr.
Rainer Haas, Prof. Dr. Ralph Gretzmacher
The roundtable was opened by a presentation of the panel and

some introducing remarks by Prof. Dr. Glatzel and started with
two presentations given by Angela Meyer on the project itself
(outline, aims, activities, expected outcomes) and by Sophal
Chuong on the current situation and challenges of Cambodia's
agriculture and some preliminary outcomes from the conducted
interviews and assessment activities.
The panel experts and the audience were then invited to ask questions and give
comments. The roundtable's audience was mainly composed of Austrian and
international students. Major issues raised included:
- the issue of water shortage and lacking irrigation systems that currently hinder
the repeated cultivation of rice fields;
- the possibility of crop rotation and examples from other countries in the region
that might be followed;
- the role of policy makers and other stakeholders and the problem of effective
implementation of agreed policies and strategies;
- the problem of instable markets and the risk of insecure income as barriers for
agro-diversification in Cambodia (example of Cassava that has been grown by
Cambodian farmers in response to the increased demand of the previous
year, largely due to the use of Cassava as biofuel to compensate the high oil
prices. After the decrease of demand for Cassava and the market prices,
many farmers witnessed a severe income loss and returned back to rice
cultivation.)
25
Based on the interviews, assessment results and inputs collected at the Information
Event in September 2009 in Phnom Penh recommendations how agricultural
diversification could be promoted were elaborated in the second phase of the
project.6
Information Event in Phnom Penh, 23.09.2009

55 participants from different institutions discussed about strategies to promote the
Agro-biodiversity in Cambodia. Attendance included representatives from the
General Direction of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF), the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI),
the Provincial Department of Agriculture of the provinces of Kampot, Kampong Speu,
Kampong Cham, Kandal and Kampong Chhnang, as well as from the Royal
University of Agriculture ( RUA ) and several donor organisations, such as the French
Research and Technological Exchange Group (GRET) and the German
Development Service (DED) . Besides scientists and policy makers, also local
farmers were invited to show their points of view.
The Information Event ended with a Get together where all stakeholders were given
the opportunity to meet and exchange.
The plenary session

Opening of the Event by
RUA’s rector, Dr. Men Sarom
Get together at the end of the Event
6
Recommendations have been outlined in a report, available as download on the project website.
They are moreover included in the forth part of this Final Report.
26
The Dissemination work package run throughout the entire duration of the project. As
major activities within the first reporting period, a project website had been set up. It
is hosted on the homepage of the Organisation for International Dialogue and
Conflict Management (IDC) and will be maintained also after the end of the project.
The address of the Cambiodiversity

website is
http://www.idialog.eu/index.php?page=cam
biodiversity.
This site is intended to provide essential
information on the project, its aims,
objectives and major tasks and activities
and to briefly present the project
participants and their institutions.
The site has regularly been updated.
27
3. Outcomes and Impact
3.1 Analysis of assessment results

In line with Cambiodiversity’s overall aim to promote the understanding of the
predominant position of rice and circumstances for further crop diversification in
Cambodia’s agricultural sector, the carried out assessment activities have focused on
collecting the views and know how of farmers, scientists and other concerned
stakeholders on these issues.
The interviews, conducted in the capital of Phnom Penh and in several provinces, as
well as the review of relevant literature and publications, have allowed to gather the
following information.
Reasons for the predominance of rice in Cambodia
In terms of respondents’ answers about why they were cultivating rice or their
opinions on why rice was generally so predominant,
(1) all respondent (100%) gave the need to grow rice for household
consumption as the main reason. Several respondents explained that apart from just
being the usual and long-established thing to do, growing their own rice was cheaper
than buying it from the market.
(2) 98% of respondents also gave the fact that rice could easily be sold as a
second reason for cultivating rice, often elaborating that they perceived the market
for rice to be more stable than that of many or most other non-rice crops, simply
because there would always be a demand for rice, whereas this was not guaranteed
for other crops.
As an example, one interviewed farmer stated that last year he grew sugar cane but
the travelling hawker did not come to his village. As he had no other selling possibility
or access to a market, his harvest was wasted.
(3) 51% of respondents further stated that rice was also grown because it was
easy to manage in terms of pests and diseases. Having cultivated rice for many
generations, Cambodian farming households have extensive experience with rice
cultivation and hence also feel confident about being able to appropriately manage
any pest and diseases situations that may arise. With other, newer crops, on the
other hand, they lack this confidence.
(4) 23% of respondents lauded the easy storage properties of rice, stating that
they did not need to worry about elaborate post harvest facilities or activities when
cultivating rice, while this was certainly the case with some other, more perishable
crops.
(5) Finally, 22% of respondents noted the value of rice straw and husks for
feeding cattle and pigs, often part of the farming system. Other crops that did not
produce such a by-product often necessitated the buying-in of extra animal feed.
28
Background information to explain the current situation
On a national scale, the predominance of rice is rooted in historical,
cultural/traditional, political, economic and agro-ecological reasons.
Historical, cultural and traditional:

Khmer farmers have been growing rain fed rice for at least 2,000 years (possibly
longer in the case of upland rice), while irrigated rice production technologies were
first introduced along trade routes from India about 1,500 years ago (Chandler, 1993;
Nesbitt, 1997). During the Angkor era (9th-14th Century), elaborate irrigation systems
were constructed which reportedly allowed up to three rice harvests per year (Pillot,
2007) and the economic power of Angkor was rooted in rice agriculture. This
perceived importance of rice has retained its predominant position in the Cambodian
culture and tradition. Every year after harvest, for example, Cambodian farmers
celebrate the “Dalean” Ceremony to give thanks to the land and the ancestors for
granting a good rice harvest, while the Royal Ploughing Ceremony early in the year is
used to predict rice yields for the coming season.
Politically and economically:

Economically and politically, rice too has played and plays a crucial role in
Cambodian society. A large proportion of the population is currently directly
dependant on rice yields for its livelihood, both in terms of subsistence and/or for
income. Food security in Cambodian is closely associated to rice production. When,
after nearly four years of Khmer Rouge misrule (1975-1979), Cambodia rice harvests
failed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, for example, the country was plunged into
rampant and devastating famine, a phenomenon that gnawed itself deep into the
Cambodian psyche. Accordingly, the strategy of various succeeding governments
has always focused on increasing rice production as a means to feed the population.
Indeed, although with more land put under rice and gradual gains in rice productivity,
Cambodia became self-sufficient in rice on a national level about a decade ago
(1999), strong regional disparities exist in food or rice security, with year-to-year
performances also being variable.
Agro-ecologically:
Finally, the predominant agro-ecological conditions in the most populated areas of
Cambodia lend themselves well to rice production. The regions around the main
water bodies on the central plains, especially in the Great lake (Tonle Sap) basin, are
home to almost 90% of Cambodians, and it is these regions where the lion’s share of
Cambodian agriculture is practised. Much of this area, in turn, is either dominated by
sandy plain soils of relatively poor fertility or subject to periodical inundation. While
many rice varieties and species, as well as many common or traditional rice
cultivation systems used by Khmer farmers, are adapted to such circumstances,
these conditions restrict the use of many other crops that are sensitive to water
logging or require higher soil fertility to flourish, etc.
29
Use of rice in Cambodia
The primary use for the rice grown by farmers in Cambodia is for subsistence:
almost half (47%) of all the farming households interviewed grew rice exclusively for
household consumption or stored as seed for the next season.
Nevertheless, 53% of interviewed households sold the rice that exceeded household
subsistence, and on average just under a quarter (23%) of rice grown by all surveyed
farmers was sold. These figures are slightly higher than estimates by Ngo and Mund
(Ngo/ Mund, 2006) who put the proportion of rice consumed for subsistence in
Cambodia at 60-65% of overall output, and considerably higher than a recent report
by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, which put the proportion of rice
used for household subsistence at 50% (MAFF, 2009).
In terms of seasonal variations in rice use, a relatively higher proportion of rice
grown during the dry season is used commercially than that of rice grown over the
rainy season.
Regional differences between the amount of rice that is consumed for subsistence or
sold ostensibly also relate back to the seasonal differences. Our interview data, for
example, indicated that the proportion of rice used for subsistence was virtually
identical among smallholder farmers of the lowland and upland regions (77%) - which
are regions where farmers sometimes sow dry season rice in addition to rainy
season rice. In contrast, it is marginally lower when compared to proportion of rice
used for subsistence in the coastal province of Kampot (86%), where farmers almost
exclusively grow shallow water rice in the rainy season.
Rice varieties: The farmer survey indicates that smallholder farmers rarely use a
different variety of rice explicitly for sale than that sown for consumption. Only as part
of a strategy to reduce risks and to distribute labour, many farmers do plant several
rice varieties in the same field in separate small plots. While a high proportion of less
commercial rainy-season rice varieties are traditional, estimates from 2004 put about
70-80% of the dry-season cultivated areas under high-yielding varieties, which are
often imported from Vietnam (FAO, 2004). In addition, some farmers mentioned that
low-yield varieties often have better taste and are therefore kept for own
consumption, whereas high-yielding varieties are sold on the market. Moreover,
some varieties play specific roles within the celebration of traditional holidays.
Cultivation of non-rice crops
Non-rice annual crops account for a little over 12% of the cultivated area according to
recent data from the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(MAFF) (MAFF 2009). Most of them are grown in more fertile upland areas. Many
Cambodian farmers grow vegetables on a small-scale in plots near their houses for
household consumption or local sale.
- Soybean is the most important non-rice crop in terms of area planted,
while pulses in general are the most important group of upland crops.
- Maize in turn is the most important non-rice cereal crop and is grown for
cash rather than as a subsistence crop. Together with soybean and
mungbean, maize accounts for almost 4% of the total cultivated area of
Cambodia.
30
- Cassava is the most important root crop in Cambodia with an annual
production of approximately 30,000 t.
- Rubber is the most important perennial crop, grown mainly on red-black
upland soils, and both cassava and rubber cultivation have enjoyed
strong growth in recent years.
- In terms of cultivated area under fruit trees, cashew, banana, coconut,
mango, citrus fruits and jackfruit are the most common. Bananas are
grown in all provinces, but Kampong Cham and Kampot are the largest
producers of bananas for export. Cashew nuts are grown mainly in
Kampong Cham and Kampong Thom Provinces, while the largest
coconut cultivation occurs in Kandal and Kampot Provinces and the
Kampot and Takeo Provinces are the largest producers of mango.
Durian, longan, sapodilla and star apple are also cultivated on small
areas, usually in home or village gardens throughout the country.
Asked about their opinions why non-rice crops were being grown, all respondents
agreed that such crops were used to complement household consumption and/or for
sale. 53% stated that some non-rice crops were also grown because of the relative
short duration from planting to harvesting. 5% said that non-rice crops were either
good for soil fertility or for health and were hence grown for these reasons.
Obstacles or barriers towards further diversification of Cambodian

agriculture
From the point of view of surveyed farmers, obstacles to increasing the

proportion of non-rice crops are mainly centred on the relative difficulty or
unfamiliarity with cultivating various non-rice crops.
Nearly all interviewed farmers (97%) stated that with non-rice crops there were
more problems with insect and disease attack than compared to rice, while 13%
elaborated that increasing climatic vagaries, to which rice was less susceptible,
exacerbated the situation with respect to pest and disease incidence. In
consequence, farmers did not feel confident enough in the relevant pest and disease
control strategies to risk growing new and unfamiliar crops. Indeed, 62% of
respondents stated that they did not know enough about appropriate cultivation
techniques or systems for non-rice crops, and hence felt it would be risky to grow
them.
Another salient point made by 94% of respondents was that they perceived
the market for alternative crops to be insufficiently strong or stable compared to that
for rice. Even if a certain crop attracted a high farm gate price in one year, many
respondents felt the demand could change from one instant to another and prices
could drop at harvest time the following season, heightening the risk of changing
from one crop to another, especially given the investments necessary to do so.
13% of respondents also gave the lack of an appropriate local processing
industry for non-rice crops as a barrier to diversification, which undoubtedly
contributed to the perception that markets for non-rice products were less lucrative
and arguably less stable market. Indeed, several interviewed knowledge gatekeepers
and policy makers concurred that the relative dearth of appropriate processing
31
facilities for various crops and products meant that Cambodia exported agricultural
products in a raw or semi-raw state to neighbouring Vietnam or Thailand, thereby
losing out on the opportunity of value-adding to products and thereby making the
growing of rice more lucrative, if not also potentially less volatile.
A further barrier to increasing the proportion of non-rice crops is related to the
fact that the rainy season is used mainly to grow the rice necessary for household
subsistence, hence leaving the dry season as the only real window to plant other
crops. The relative dearth of irrigation, however, limits off-season non-rice production
- a point made by 87% of respondents. Regular flooding during the wet season in the
low-lying, densely-populated areas around the Great Lake and other waterways that
form the heartland of Cambodian agriculture, combined with the predominance of
poorly productive sandy and acidic soils, mean that large swaths of traditional
agriculture land, while suitable for rainy season rice cultivation, are not well suited to
many other crops.
Additionally, inadequate extension services and knowledge transfer from
research to Cambodian farmers often mean that farmers cannot capitalise on
potential market niches or best practice technologies for non-rice crops. This results
in rice retaining a dominating position in Cambodian agriculture, although the projects
and programmes aimed at diversifying Cambodian agriculture are gradually gaining
momentum.
In addition, unrestricted livestock grazing during the dry season, which is
common especially in Kampong Speu Province, actually destroys fields of non-rice
crops, 18% of respondents lamented.
Finally, 18% of respondents also claimed that there is a lack of external
incentives in terms of seeds and equipment donations for them to be able to attempt
crop diversification.
Policies, programmes and projects to overcome the barriers
The MAFF’s Agricultural Sector Strategic Development Plan 2006-2010

promotes the concept of diversifying the Cambodian agricultural sector. It is built
around a multitude of tenets: One, for example, is a focus on attracting foreign or
national investment in agro-processing industries. Another especially emphasises the
use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to overcome pest and disease challenges
in susceptible non-rice crops. A third is based on strengthening research capacity
and extension of new techniques and a forth is the enhancement of irrigation
systems throughout the country (MAFF 2005).
Ostensibly as part of this strategy, too, the MAFF cooperates with the meteorological
bureau to augment irrigation from the Chinit River in Kampong Thom Province, for
example.
As another important and relevant initiative, the Cambodian Agricultural
Research and Development Institute (CARDI) produces seeds for tomato, beans and
cassava, which it distributes to farmers as part of trials conducted on farmers’ fields.
Cambodia’s leading agricultural NGO, the Cambodian Centre for Study and
Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), also distributes seeds to farmers and
undertakes farmer field trials in various provinces of Cambodia. In addition, together
with another agricultural NGO, the Peri-Urban Agriculture Centre (PUAC), CEDAC
32
assists farmers with finding markets for their products. CEDAC and PUAC pursue
slightly different approaches. In the CEDAC model, CEDAC buyers visit farmers to
directly buy products from them. PUAC, in return, creates regional centres that wash
and prepare vegetables for transport and sale in the city, relying on farmers that live
close by to bring their vegetables to the centres.
Incentive factors that could promote diversification
During the interviews with farmers and stakeholders, several factors and issues
have been raised that could serve as incentives for a further diversification of
Cambodia’s agricultural sector.
These factors are related either to the technical and technological level, or to
economic issues, or to the issue of knowledge, know how and expertise.
TECHNICAL ISSUES
Extension of appropriate technology packages to farmers

Especially stakeholders and knowledge gatekeepers from NGOs and
the Provincial Departments of Agriculture underlined during the
interviews the importance of direct contact between government
extension officers and farmers. Currently, basically most extension is
being undertaken by NGOs, especially CEDAC. Stronger intervention
by government officers to provide technical assistance could serve
as an incentive. In other words, policies, strategies and programs
launched by the government do often not reach the farmers because
of lacking direct contact.
Increase in effective irrigation and drainage systems

Interviewees emphasized that a central problem is posed by the lack
of appropriate irrigation. In order to make it possible for farmers to
use their fields during the dry season for growing non-rice crops,
there is in particular a need to better and further maintain existing
infrastructure, as much was being rundown. Among farmers, better
support of irrigation maintenance by the government or NGOs was
deemed a potential incentive for non-rice crop cultivation by 74% of
the respondents.
Increase in soil fertility

According to some interviewed field extension officers, enhancing
soil fertility would allow a broader range of crops to be cultivated.
Extension officers suggest that a key incentive could be given by new
methods and approaches for integrated soil fertility management,
especially also involving organic fertilizers. Here, there is a need for
research but also for knowledge transfer to farmers that should be
addressed essentially by the government. Indeed, currently most is
done by NGOs, such as CEDAC.
33
Improve the supply in seeds
Asked for ways that would stimulate them to plant more non-rice
crops, 99% of smallholder farmer respondents suggested a
subsidised or improved seed and tool supply. In fact, 42% of
interviewed farmers had actually received seeds from the CEDAC,
CARDI, collaborative research projects or NGOs. Additional
measures supported by the government could act as an additional
incentive for farmers.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER AND OTHER SUPPORT
Trainings
83% of the interviewed farmers felt that more demonstrations and
training in methods and techniques for growing non-rice crops would
help to increase their share in Cambodian agriculture. As has been
stated above, almost two thirds of respondents mentioned that they
only had limited know how about appropriate cultivation techniques
or systems for non-rice crops which hindered them from diversifying
their cultivation. In fact, just over half of respondents (54%) admitted
that they had received training from MAFF or NGOs in non-rice crop
cultivation. Here again, national programs and policies do not
satisfactorily reach the expected end users.
The formation of farmers associations

Besides from presenting a way for strengthening collective
bargaining power and rationalising input purchases (as will be
explained more in detail below), the formation of farmers association
can also promote the exchange and sharing of know how and
experiences among farmers.
ECONOMIC LEVEL
Interventions to agricultural markets to stabilize prices for important crops

Currently, many farmers fear that markets and prizes for non-rice
crops may be more instable than for rice. Measures to reduce this
risk could therefore give more confidence to farmers.
According to some interviewees, markets and price stabilization
could be achieved through an assortment of different approaches.
For example, if downstream processing industries are created and
supported, they can boost and stabilize demand for products that
have potentially become more durable.
Government representatives stated that attracting foreign and/or
private sector investment to build a stronger agro-processing industry
is a priority, but it is difficult to generalize what is actually happening
in this respect, as licenses, concessions or tax breaks are treated
highly individually and without much transparency, without a standard
set of rules being applied to all potential investors.
Another means of enhancing the attractiveness of the market for
34
non-rice crops put forward by respondents was through the
government regulating prices, either of inputs or by instigating price
floors for the actual produce. Improved markets, especially in terms
of government efforts to stabilize prices were suggested by 92% of
smallholder respondents as a way to promote diversification in
cropping. 22% of smallholder respondents actually had received
assistance in locating appropriate markets for non-rice products,
mainly through NGOs like CEDAC or PUAC, which functioned as
intermediaries between quality-conscious urban markets and
farmers.
The formation of farmers associations

According to some interviewees, the formation of farmer associations
could improve collective bargaining power to achieve discounted
input and farm gate sale prices, as well as rationalising input
purchases. Potentially, it could also circumvent the need for
middlemen that swallow a substantial part of potential profit. Various
NGOs are actually working on promoting the set up of farmer
associations and cooperatives around the country.
Credits and financial assistance

13% of the interviewed farmers advocated the higher availability of
rural credits to buy seeds or necessary equipment as a key incentive.
Substitute crops to rice
In fertile upland areas, rice can be substituted with various cash crops, such as
maize, soybean, cassava, rubber, sesame, etc. However, although some upland
soils derived from basaltic parent material are very fertile, much of the elevated plain
areas of Cambodia are relatively sandy and not particularly fertile. Cash crop
productivity, already restricted by the length of the dry season, is therefore often not
very high.
In lowland areas, which are periodically inundated, options for the wet season are
more limited, while dry season cultivation depends on irrigation. Vegetable, which
generally have a high market demand, can be grown near the house instead of rice
in a place that does not waterlog. The main crop that farmers grow instead of rice is
taro because it is tolerant to periodical flooding.
Trials, projects and initiatives of substitute crops to rice
There are numerous organisations that are facilitating research and the trialling of
various non-rice crops throughout Cambodia. Among these are the universities,
research institutes and agricultural colleges that undertake trials of vegetable or other
crops continuously in various areas of Cambodia, with the aim of being able to
produce best-practice principles and guidelines for farmers.
CEDAC, which has an extensive network of leader farmers and extension agents,
around several provinces of Cambodia, similarly trials various non-rice crops and
35
appropriate fertility management options, as well as handing out seed or planting
material to farmers that subscribe to their organic cultivation conditions.
CARDI and the Directorate General of Agriculture under MAFF, too, trial various
crops and hand-out appropriate seed, etc., as do the French-CIRAD spearheaded
Project for Diversification of Agriculture in Cambodia (PDAC), which is trialling and
extending various upland crops and cover crop cultivation techniques centred on
zero-tillage in Kampong Cham, Pailin and Battambang Provinces. Similar initiatives
are launched by the French NGO PUAC based just outside Phnom Penh, the
environmentally-focussed NGOs GERES, CARE, Srei Khmer, the Apsara Authority
with its trial fields close to Siem Reap, the East-West Seed Company, which also
advertises many non-rice crops, and many more NGOs and GOs.
The acceptance of farmers to partly substitute rice with other crops
In general, 43% or 22% of farmer respondents said that they could imagine replacing
rice with beans or vegetables, respectively. The necessary conditions to catalyse an
increased share of these crops to be grown by farmers are similar to the suggestions
that farmers put forward for general crop diversification as pointed out above, namely
subsidised or improved seeds and tool availability for beans and vegetables,
improved markets with more stable prices for such crops, more demonstrations and
training in methods and techniques for growing non-rice crops, more irrigation and
increased support with irrigation maintenance, and easier access to rural credits to
buy seed or necessary equipment.
Ideas, models, strategies, plans or approaches to promote increased

agro-diversity
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has set up a series
of strategy papers and blueprints to enhance agro-diversity in Cambodia, that are
being implemented to varying degrees. These include:
MAFF Master Plan. May 2006
MAFF strategy to develop the agricultural sector. October 2005
MAFF action plan to develop the agricultural sector in Cambodia. 2001
MAFF strategy for agriculture and water. January 2007.
MAFF strategy to improve market information. September 2005.
The World Bank, too, has released a strategy paper on agriculture for
development in Cambodia that gives ideas for the diversification of Cambodian
agriculture.
36
Projects to support the diversification of Cambodian agriculture
As alluded above, there are many NGOs, GOs, and International Organisations (IO)
that are devoted to trialling various non-rice alternatives throughout Cambodia. In
addition, these organisations also intend to a certain degree to extend advice on how
to cultivate crops, as well as to distribute seeds, planting material or other inputs to
farmers.
Indeed, among our farmer sample population, 54% had received training from MAFF
or NGOs in non-rice crop cultivation. Being asked about their satisfaction, 83% stated
that more training would be better.
42% of farmers had actually received seeds from CEDAC, CARDI, collaborative
research projects or NGOs.
Some NGOs and IOs also devote effort to catalysing the formation of farmer
cooperatives and associations. This is the case with the German Genossenschafts-
und Raiffeisenverband or the national NGO Buddhism for Development.
Others help farmers in finding and accessing non-rice markets, as is the case with
project and initiatives by CEDAC, PUAC, or the Greenbelt Project in Siem Reap
Province, spearheaded by the German Development Cooperation, for example.
Indeed, 22% of smallholder respondents actually had received assistance in locating
appropriate markets for non-rice products.
3.2. Relevance of Results and Expected Impact
Relevance in consideration of the set goals
As has been outlined above, four goals have been defined at the beginning of the
project.
A first purpose has consisted in supporting the RUA team of researchers in
studying and analyzing the social, economic, political and agronomic circumstances
of rice cultivation and agro-diversification in Cambodia. Currently, the University’s
activities mainly focus on providing lectures to students and on conducting research
and controlled field trials at an experimental station. Although contacts with villages
and farmers are established, field studies are rather limited, notably due to financial
constraints. These would however allow on the one hand to increasingly integrate the
knowledge and local information of farmers with the scientific research and thereby
make results better reflect the situation on the ground. In return, research results
could be fed back to farmers who can then adopt them. At the same time, visiting and
collaborating with farmers gives the students the opportunity to experience the field
practices of the farmers and better understand the situation in rural areas.
In this perspective, during the project Cambiodiversity, particular emphasis was given
to research activities in the villages, directly involving the rural population. Hereby, it
was moreover of special importance to encourage students to participate and give
them the possibility to accompany the researchers team around Dean Sophal
Chuong to the villages and assist the conduction of interviews with farmers.
37
In addition, the project enabled RUA to acquire important material for their
continuous research on the topic, notably seeds and grains, chemical fertilizer,
covering material and drip irrigation material to be used in the trial fields. Trial field
research is primarily intended to go deeper into the question what crops may be most
appropriate to substitute rice and to specifically test the growing of plants mentioned
and suggested during the interviews.
As a second purpose, the project was intended to contribute to the reduction of

poverty in Cambodia. This purpose was mainly linked to two considerations: first, in
Cambodia, farmers not only present the biggest socio-professional group but also the
one with the highest poverty rate. 90% of Cambodia’s poor population live in rural
areas. They largely depend on rice cultivation and production. Second, monoculture
is likely to lead to poverty as it makes harvest and hence the farmers’ income
considerably vulnerable, notably to climatic risks and variations, pests and diseases,
bad harvest and price fluctuations on the market.
The relevance of Cambiodiversity for poverty reduction in Cambodia has therefore
been to assess and evaluate the possibility and conditions of further agro-diversity as
a way to diversify the farmers’ income basis (rice and non-rice crops), as well as to
address other intertwined factors that are either generating or generated by poverty,
such as food insecurity, and thereby contribute to the alleviation of poverty. The
relevance can moreover be seen in the project’s efforts to give the poor in rural areas
the possibility to express their concerns and interests and to communicate this
information to policy and decision-makers through the recommendations and on the
Information Event in September 2009.
In this perspective, it was here of particular importance for the Cambiodiversity team
to integrate local communities and farmers into the research activities, to collect their
concerns and positions, and to consider and integrate them in the elaboration of
recommendations and other outputs. In particular, it was a special concern to identify
major barriers and obstacles that currently hinder farmers from diversifying their
crops, as well as potential incentives. This made it possible to produce results
reflecting the interests and needs of rural population and pinpoint areas where,
according to the concerned people, policies, measures and actions would be most
needed.
Closely linked to the issue of poverty reduction, Cambiodiversity has also

intended to make a significant contribution to the empowerment of women.
In Cambodia, 53% of the total work force living in rural areas are women, and 65% of
women are farmers. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), rural women
are responsible for 80% of the food production. However, despite this central
position, women have only limited access to extension services, technologies and
trainings, as well as to information on markets, funding, credit and other relevant
issues. This is on the one hand due to traditional behaviour norms and arrangements
that assign women a lower status than men (Gorman, 1999). On the other hand, and
partly as a consequence, the access of women to education is considerably limited
compared to men. Although the percentage of enrolment for girls in primary school is
almost similar to the one of boys, the gap is increasing in the higher levels of
education (ADB, 2004). Regarding the combined primary, secondary and tertiary
gross enrolment ratio in 2004, only 88 girls have been enrolled for every 100 boys
38
(UNDP, HDR 2009). At upper secondary and tertiary education, the ratio is even by
less than 50 girls for every 100 boys. (ADB, 2004). An additional factor is provided by
the circumstance that policies, notably in the field of agriculture, are still mainly
“gender blind” and do not consider the specific needs and concerns of women. Also
trainings and extension services are most often principally addressing men.
Extension workers are almost exclusively male which is likely to complicate the
communication with women farmers.
The main contribution of Cambiodiversity in this regards has therefore been
achieved, on the one hand, by having placed particular emphasis to the situation of
women in rural areas in view of pinpointing where actions and policies would be
needed. On the other hand, the project has aimed to give female farmers the
opportunity to express major concerns and problems they currently encounter. Both
approaches seem to be of particular importance in view of contributing to making
policies more gender-specific and responsive to particular women concerns. In this
perspective, from the beginning on, it has been of particular importance to encourage
women to take part in the interview activities. In total, 48,33% of the interviewed
farmers were female. Moreover, during the elaboration of recommendations,
particular attention was laid on considering the positions and concerns raised by
women. A specific set of recommendations has hence been presented for them.
A final contribution was to be made towards raising awareness on the

importance of sustainable development and the urgency of protecting and conserving
biodiversity worldwide, as well as to contribute to global agro-biodiversity.
First of all, through its direct contact to and involvement of Cambodian farmers, as
well as researchers, policy makers and other relevant stakeholders, Cambiodiversity
was intended to provide and disseminate knowledge and information on the
importance of agro-biodiversity. It especially aimed to raise the awareness of those
groups whose activities and decisions can have a specific impact on the country’s
biodiversity, notably through the production of crops and the development of public
policies. Major project activities were the conduction of interviews and the
organisation of the Information Event that both allowed the exchange and
dissemination of research results and other information.
The interviews made it moreover possible to reveal and identify what major problems
and obstacles are currently hindering farmers from further diversifying their
production. This allowed to have a clearer understanding what needs hence to be
done in order to enhance conditions and circumstances that are likely to facilitate and
encourage agro-biodiversity in Cambodia.
In addition, the project also aimed to promote and strengthen the exchange, links and
cooperation between the research team at RUA and other organisations, scientists
and experts working in the field of agro-biodiversity. The key activity here has been
the attendance of the International Conference in Kunming in September 2008 that
gathered biodiversity experts from various European and South-East Asian countries.
The conference facilitated the exchange of knowledge and experiences, as well as a
fostering and strengthening of contacts for RUA that had already partly been
established through the Agrofolio project. Cambiodiversity also affirmed and
strengthened the cooperation on biodiversity between the two Austrian and the
Cambodian partner. It thereby consolidated the well working collaboration and paves
the way for future joint projects and initiatives towards contributing to fostering
sustainable development.
39
Impact in view of sustainable development and poverty reduction (UN
Millennium Development Goals)
In view of its orientation and expected impact for sustainable development, the
project Cambiodiversity, its activities and results can be considered as being
connected to some of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. In
particular, the relevance is given for
Goal 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY & HUNGER
Goal 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN
Goal 7: ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Goal 8: DEVELOP A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT
Goal 1: ERADICATE EXTREME POVERTY & HUNGER

The relevance of Cambiodiversity for achieving the first UN Millennium Development
Goal - to halve by 2015 the proportion of poor with an income lower than US$ 1 and
suffering from hunger - lies in particular in the fact that Cambodia is among the
world’s poorest countries. With a GNI per capita of US$ 540, the country ranges
below the average of US$ 2180 for the East Asia/ Pacific region and among the so
called Low Income Countries. 7
As has been outlined above, Cambodia’s poor population is mainly centred in rural
areas and mostly depends on subsistence agriculture. The project has therefore
included the intention to contribute to the reduction of poverty in Cambodia among its
set goals. By assessing the farmers’ needs and concerns, the context and
circumstances for further diversification of the agricultural rice-based production, as
well as what major obstacles will have to be overcome, the project team intended to
do a contribution towards making agro-diversification for farmers a more viable and
conceivable approach in view of broadening their basis for daily nutrition and income.
As a matter of fact, lacking agro-diversity and poverty are somehow intertwined. As
the assessment has shown, poverty often presents a significant barrier towards agro-
diversification. In particular, on the side of the farmers, the lack of own resources as
well as the instability of markets and the difficult access to any form of insurance
makes the cultivation of crops other than usually become a significant risk; especially
as most farmers’ income is entirely generated by agricultural activities. At the same
time, monoculture is also likely to enhance poverty as it makes farmers’ income
considerably one-sided and vulnerable. Also on the national side, the bad condition
and lack of appropriate irrigation systems and the inexistence of an agro-processing
industry constitute considerable obstacles for promoting the increase of non-rice
crops. As the project recommends, specific public policies supporting the farmers,
the development and transfer of technologies and knowledge, micro loans or other
suitable forms of credit, as well as targeted subsidies could provide important
incentives in view of overcoming poverty induced barriers to biodiversity and helping
to reduce poverty in the rural areas.
7
According to the definition of the World Bank, Low Income Countries have a GNI/capita of US$ 975
or less. For figures, see: World Bank. Information and Communications for Development 2009:
Extending Reach and Increasing Impact. 2009, p. 181
40
Goal 3: PROMOTE GENDER EQUALITY AND EMPOWER WOMEN
Cambiodiversity gave particular emphasis to the role of women, notably by having
paid special attention to encouraging their participation in the interviews, assessing
their interests and concerns and responding to them in the recommendations.
Given their central position in Cambodia’s local agriculture as well as their pivotal role
for food security and household nutrition, the promotion of sustainable development
and biodiversity can not be achieved without the involvement of women, the
consideration and respect of their specific situation and interests, and enhancement
of their position and role in decision-making processes. Due to still prevailing
traditional gender roles and differences in access to education, knowledge and
information, Cambodian women are still mainly excluded from the policy and
governance processes and have very limited impact on decision-making.
As part of the project, specific recommendations have been elaborated that respond
to the concerns raised by interviewed women. These primarily focus on the need for
gender-specific policies, farmer trainings and other forms of knowledge transfer that
lead to an increased empowerment of women and enhancement of their living
conditions.
Goal 7: ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Through its central focus on agro-biodiversity, Cambiodiversity had relevance for
achieving the UN goal of reducing biodiversity loss by 2015. The major activities in
this regard have been the strengthening of links and contacts with other researchers
in the region in view of exchanging knowledge and experience and building the
ground for future cooperation and synergies. At the same time, the contact to policy
makers and government representatives - through their involvement in the
assessment activities and invitation to join the final Information Event by the end of
the implementation - was intended to raise these stakeholders’ awareness on the
vital importance of biodiversity and the need to integrate the principles of sustainable
development in public policies and national programmes and initiatives.
Goal 8: DEVELOP A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT

Finally, MDG8 can be considered as a goal underlying the entire project. Indeed, the
implementation of Cambiodiversity would never have been possible without the
strong partnership and collaboration between the two Austrian and the Cambodian
research institutions within the KEF funding program. The shared commitment of all
three partners towards promoting and conserving biodiversity in Cambodia laid the
ground for the joint research activities and contribution towards sustainable
development. The team hereby paid particular attention to respecting the specific
needs and capabilities, notably of the Cambodian partner and helping him to build
and foster his capacities.
At the same time, the project was also meant to contribute to paving the way towards
continued joint research cooperation, reaching beyond the consortium.
Notably through specific networking activities in the context of the International
Conference and the establishment of contacts to other relevant research centres and
41
project consortia8, the aim was to open new opportunities for regional and
international networking and cooperation, in the short or in the long run.
In this perspective, the team acknowledged the fact that sustainable development
and the conservation of biodiversity are global challenges that require a joint, notably
North-South approach.
3.3. The sustainability of research efforts beyond the project’s lifetime
The sustainability of Cambiodiversity and its outcomes also after the end of the
project is important to ensure that the results, findings and recommendations have a
significant impact on the awareness and behaviour of farmers and stakeholders and
hence contribute to promoting agricultural diversification and strengthening
biodiversity. The following sets of activities conducted or initiated during the project’s
lifetime are expected to contribute towards deepening and extending the relevance of
Cambiodiversity’s outcomes.
Ongoing field tests
As foreseen within the project plan and budget, project partner RUA has bought
seeds to be used in the university’s test fields for research activities. The main focus
of these tests is set on the question what non-rice crops would be most appropriate
to supplement rice in Cambodia. The activities will hereby be based on the assessed
information and consider on the one hand the crops identified as possible rice
substitutes, and on the other hand, the concerns and problems raised by the farmers.
Tests will mainly focus on growing beans (notably soy, long and mung beans),
maize, cabbage (green mustard, celery cabbage) and several vegetables, such as
tomato, peppers and egg plants.
Awareness raising measures
In a general way, the constant involvement of concerned stakeholders - notably

farmers and policy-makers - in project activities was intended to also raise the
awareness of these actors on the need, importance and urgency of protecting and
strengthening biodiversity in Cambodia. The interviews with farmers not only allowed
to collect information about interests, concerns and expectations. They also offered
the possibility for the researchers from RUA to enhance the farmers’ understanding
about the necessity to diversify their agricultural production for ecological and health,
but also economic and financial reasons, and to directly respond to questions and
concerns.
At the same time, the exchange with policy-makers during the interviews, as well as
during the Information Event is also intended to be of importance for the
dissemination of major findings and information about the importance of agro-
biodiversity which may have an impact on public opinion, attitudes and policy-
making.
8
See also the part on ideas for follow up projects, below.
42
Regional and international networking
Throughout the project, particular attention has been paid to establishing and
strengthening the links between the Cambiodiversity team - in particular the RUA
team - and other researchers and research institutions in the region and other parts
of the world. The exchange of information, experiences and research results
presents a crucial approach, not only for comparing and contrasting outcomes but
also for finding synergies and paving the way towards future collaboration.
3.4. Networking and Ideas for Fellow-up Projects

During the project implementation, contacts have been established to several other
project and/ or research institutes working on similar issues and topics. These
contacts have on the one side been established through the participation at the
International Conference in China in September 2008 and the exchange with the
consortium of the EC FP6 project DIVERSEEDS. On the other side, they are the
result from intensive networking of the Austrian project partners.
The following contacts have been generated in view of paving the way towards
possible follow-up projects.
LILAC
The LILAC project, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research
(BMBF), focuses on the increasing cultivation of cash crops in the Yunnan and
Mekong regions (China) and the social, economic and ecological consequences
implied. The project aims at developing a land use plan and land use scenaorios, as
well as an integrated model able to predict the economic, social or ecological effects
of different land uses.
Due to the similar emphasis of both projects on biodiversity in Asian countries and
the conditions and consequences of diversification, contacts have been established
with the LILAC project coordinator from the University of Hohenheim, Germany and
insights, experiences and preliminary results have been exchanged between the two
teams. The possibility to launch, in the coming years, a joint research project with a
regional comparative approach has moreover been addressed.
ISRAELI GENE BANK FOR AGRICULTURAL CROPS VOLCANI CENTER,

ISRAEL
The Israeli Gene Bank for Agricultural Crops was established in 1979 at the
Agricultural Research Organization Volcani Center in Bet-Dagan. The aim of the
Gene Bank is to preserve in-situ or ex-situ, the genetic variability of wild species and
primitive varieties that have domesticated relatives (agricultural crops) and economic-
agricultural and social-cultural potential for the existence of mankind in future
generations. The Center aims to collect, keep, maintain, and characterize the seed
collections and plants of wild relatives in Israel.
Contacts to the Director and staff members of the Gene Bank, in charge of research
activities, have been established through the Cambiodiversity team’s close
43
cooperation with the DIVERSEEDS consortium. The relevance of this contact lies
first and foremost in the issue of irrigation and the team’s interest in gathering and
comparing information about solutions and techniques applied in other countries.
Thank to the experts from VOLCANI, further contacts have been established to an
irrigation specialist. Although this contact has not yet been deeply exploited during
the project (due to the fact that the irrigation issue is only one barrier for lacking agro-
biodiversity in Cambodia among others), it may present an interesting possible
starting point for a follow-up project.
KHON KAEN UNIVERSITY (KKU), THAILAND
Contacts have been deepened to biodiversity experts from Khon Kaen University,
especially during the International Conference in China in September 2008. Together
with RUA, the Department of Agronomy of the University’s Faculty of Agriculture had
also been involved in the EC FP6 project AGROFOLIO and experts from both
universities therefore already knew each other which eased networking activities.
Within a specific working group during the Conference, the Cambiodiversity team had
the opportunity to discuss with the team from KKU models and solutions for
intercropping and irrigation. Due to the similar climate conditions, these comparisons,
as well as the issue of applicability in Cambodia were particularly interesting for both
sides and may provide the basis for further cooperation in the context of a joint
research project.
44
4. Recommendations
Based on the interviews, assessment results and inputs collected at the Information
Event in September 2009 in Phnom Penh, the following recommendations how
agricultural diversification could be promoted have jointly been elaborated.
The focus has hereby been set on the following set of issues:
- The issue of irrigation as important barrier and obstacle towards the cultivation
of non-rice crops.
- Factors, such as prize stability, pests and diseases, or incomplete knowledge,
that make the growing of non-rice crops carry with it a certain risk for
Cambodian farmers.
- The limited contact and communication between farmers and the government
level.
- The neglected role of women farmers.
IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND GUARANTEE THE MAINTENANCE OF

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
Irrigation is a key issue for promoting and achieving further diversification of

Cambodia’s agriculture. In view of the problem of lack in appropriate irrigation that
could especially ease and foster the growing of non-rice crops during the dry season,
adequate measures would be needed from the government as well as from
concerned farmers:
- Efforts and policies from the government should focus on strengthening,

improving and further developing the existing irrigation system and ensuring
its maintenance.
- It is moreover important that farmers, farmers associations and local NGOs
get involved in and support the maintenance of the irrigation infrastructure.
- Regular exchange between the government, extension workers and farmers
seems of crucial importance to ensure that know how and experiences are
exchanged, farmers’ concerns, needs and interests are considered and
problems occurring on the ground directly and promptly approached.
In this perspective, the Cambiodiversity team proposes the following

recommendations:
For farmers to contribute to the management and maintenance of irrigation

systems, workshops, trainings and demonstration need to be enhanced and
guaranteed. This can not only be ensured by NGOs but need to be supported
by the government. Universities should play hereby a key role, especially by
offering demonstration sites and trainings.
The creation of farmers associations could play an essential role to:
o coordinate and facilitate the communication and exchange
between the villages and the policy making level;
o coordinate the organization of trainings and demonstration, and
the knowledge transfer on the maintenance and use of irrigation
45
systems;
o communicate problems on the ground.
Also, cooperation and exchange with other (neighboring) countries could allow
to learn from experiences and best practices and to encourage the bilateral,
regional and international transfer of knowledge and technologies.
Cooperation should especially be promoted among researchers and students
through joint research and networking projects, conferences and work shops
as well as student exchange programs. The exchange with experts, notably
from Thailand, Vietnam and Israel during the International Conference in
China in September 2008 for instance gave the participants from RUA the
possibility to discuss the comparability and similarities of local situations and
problems, and the applicability of different solutions to increase irrigation.
REDUCE THE RISK RELATED TO GROWING NON-RICE CROPS
For many Cambodian farmers, growing non-rice crops is linked to different risks,
ranging from prize and market instability, to pests and diseases, and uncertainty on
growing techniques.
- It is therefore important to build more confidence in order to encourage crop

diversification.
- Intercropping presents by itself certain protection against pests or diseases that
only affect specific crops and should therefore be encouraged by appropriated
measures and financial and technical support.
- There is a need for more guarantee, assurance and better risk management
- There is a need for more stable markets as well as stable sales opportunities
The following recommendations should be taken into consideration:
Trainings and demonstration activities present important measures for building

trust and confidence as they create more visibility, transparency and security
in how to grow crops other than rice, prevent diseases and deal with pest
infestation. Increased as well as region and target group (notably gender)
specific trainings should be offered by the government, notably through
extension workers. As currently NGOs already play a central role in providing
technical assistance, cooperation should be promoted between these groups
and the government levels as well as by NGOs, with government support. In
addition, farmers associations could play a crucial role, on the one hand, in
coordinating and co-organizing trainings, and on the other hand in
encouraging also the exchange of information among the farmers themselves.
It would moreover be important to train people on the local level that could
then act as trainers within the communities.
There is a need of government assistance and subsidies in response to

significant price increases or falls causing declines in farmers’ incomes and
rising poverty. Farmers association and cooperatives with the support from the
government could present a framework that grants farmers the opportunity to
get subsidies to buy seed or planting material for non-rice crops
46
By forming associations and cooperatives, farmers can also better coordinate
and influence market prices, rationalize input purchases and increase their
bargaining power which may lead to minimize risk and potential losses.
Cooperatives could allow farmers to share the cost for adequate equipment
and provide crop storage facilities. Moreover, they could coordinate trainings,
as well as the exchange of know how and experiences. Also, they may
present a possibility for communities to bundle their competences and
capabilities and thereby build more capacities.
In a similar way, also long term arrangements with purchasers can reduce the
risk of growing non-rice crops. Currently, some farmers, mainly around the
capital of Phnom Penh and in the tourist areas in Siem Riep province (Angkor
Wat), already have agreements with hotels or restaurants for which they grow
non-rice crops. Also national and international NGOs, such as CEDAC
increasingly act as intermediates between the farmers and potential
purchasers, mainly shops, hotels and restaurants. Similar models could be
developed also in other provinces.
Besides technical assistance, financial support is essential for encouraging

and facilitating the cultivation of other crops than rice, as well as for covering
the related risks. Microcredits or other forms of credits with low interest rates
could play here an important role in helping farmers to finance the purchase of
seeds and planting material for non-rice crops.
Also national and international NGOs could act as intermediates to facilitate

the contact to investors. In a similar way, cooperatives at village level could
encourage farmers to jointly apply for credits and approach investors.
Increased emphasis should also be given to attracting local and foreign

investment to help generate the establishment of more downstream agro-
processing industries
IMPROVE THE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE FARMERS AND THE

GOVERNMENT LEVEL TO BETTER TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE
FARMERS’ NEEDS AND CONCERNS AND PROVIDE MORE TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
The interviews conducted with Cambodian farmers have shown that contacts with
governmental representatives, such as extension workers, are considerably limited.
The lacking exchange with extension workers not only impedes the transfer of
knowledge and technologies but also limits the possibilities offered to farmers to
express their needs, concerns and interests. As a consequence, regarding the agro-
diversification issue, farmers can not sufficiently indicate where more political action
would be needed, and where subsidies or other forms of support could help them in
growing non-rice crops, or bring in their experience and know how in the formulation
of related policies. Although the government has launched several programs and
policies in view of promoting biodiversity, these do most often not reach the farmers
and respond to their major needs and concerns.
47
Closely linked, a major barrier towards further diversification of Cambodia’s
agricultural sector is the lack in appropriate techniques on the farmers’ level, as well
in downstream processing industries on the national level. Currently, due to this lack,
most agricultural products are exported in a raw or semi-raw state to neighboring
Vietnam or Thailand. Hereby, not only value adding opportunities are lost, but
markets appear less lucrative and more volatile and instable as they depend on
foreign developments.
Therefore, adequate measures should focus on

- enhancing the exchange between the population, notably farmers, and the
government, notably through extension workers, in view of better adapting
policies and other political actions to specific needs;
- providing farmers with materials and inputs to grow non-rice crops as part of
training and extension programmes; and
- developing downstream processing industries and techniques.
The following is therefore recommended by the project team:
Cooperatives and other forms of farmers associations could act as a

mouthpiece for farmers and thereby ease the communication between the
community and government level.
Cooperatives and other forms of farmers associations could ease and
coordinate the use, management and maintenance of farming material on the
local level.
Extension workers should be encouraged to act as intermediates between the
government and the farmers in order to transfer knowledge (in both
directions), offer trainings and give the farmers an enhanced possibility to
bring forward their needs and concerns.
SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS
Although 53% of the total labor force in Cambodia working in the agricultural sector
are women, this circumstance is not sufficiently taken into consideration by
government policies and actions. Because of their lower level of education and their
limited contact to - mainly male - extension workers, compared to male farmers,
women have generally less knowledge on cultivation and farming techniques, as well
as market conditions, subsidies and credits. Trainings, as well as extension services
are most often oriented to men and their concerns and fail to sufficiently take into
account the gender specificities and particular situation and conditions of women.
It is therefore needed:
- to promote the access of women to education and trainings;
- to offer gender specific trainings and extension services;
- to offer more and more appropriate opportunities to female farmers to express
their concerns and interests.
The team makes the following recommendations in view of overcoming these
48
gender-related problems:
Provide information to female farmers in a gender specific way, notably by

offering specific training courses on crop cultivation, techniques, market
conditions, credits, etc. only for women.
Offer more women adapted approaches for technology and knowledge
transfer, such as through female extension workers as these may better
understand and respond to specific needs of women.
Provide training courses for women on the importance of biodiversity for
balanced nutrition as women play a central role for the feeding of the family
and are therefore key for tackling malnutrition.
Increasingly include women in decision-making processes on the rural level.
49
5. Abstract
English version
The project Cambiodiversity, jointly prepared by the Organisation for International
Dialogue and Conflict Management, the BOKU and the Royal University of
Agriculture (Cambodia), focussed on the issue of biodiversity in Cambodia. It aimed,
on the one hand, at analysing the current pre-eminent position of rice in Cambodian
agricultural system and at assessing, on the other hand, the conditions and feasibility
of further diversification.
In Cambodia, rice is presenting the predominantly grown crop, covering 81% of the
total agricultural area. For farmers, rice thereby presents the main income source, as
well as the major staple food. This predominance is problematic. It indeed creates a
high economic vulnerability, problems of non-balanced and malnutrition and the risk
of food insecurity for the population. It moreover presents a global threat of constant
genetic resources disappearance while generating external dependencies for non-
rice crops at the national level.
In this perspective, the main purpose of the project Cambiodiversity has been to
analyse the reasons and circumstances of the current rice predominance in
Cambodia, and to elaborate recommendations for a sustainable diversification of the
Cambodian agriculture.
As a major activity, the project has included a comprehensive assessment work.
Notably the conduction of some 180 interviews with farmers and relevant
stakeholders in Phnom Penh and several Cambodian provinces have allowed to
explain the predominant position of rice and to highlight the major barriers as well as
potential incentives for further agro-diversification. These interviews have been
completed by the review of relevant publications, with the specific aim to gather more
information on Cambodian’s biodiversity and especially the rice cultivation. The
analysis of the assessment’s outcomes has been the main basis for the joint
elaboration of recommendations for a further potential diversification of the
Cambodian agriculture. These recommendations have focussed on the need to
improve the irrigation systems and their maintenance, as well as the approach of
major factors that currently hinder the cultivation of non-rice crops such as prize and
market instability, incomplete knowledge on techniques and pest prevention or
insufficient risk management. Further recommendations have focused on the need
for increased contact between the farmers and the policy making level, as well as for
a better consideration of gender specificities. A final information event, held in Phnom
Penh, has allowed to present and discuss these findings with representatives from
the farming, policy making and non-governmental level.
German version
Das von der Organisation für Internationalen Dialog und Konfliktmanagement, der
BOKU und der Royal University of Agriculture (Kambodscha) gemeinsam
durchgeführte Projekt Cambiodiversity behandelt das Thema der Biodiversität in
Kambodscha. Es zielt, zum einen, darauf ab, die zentrale Rolle von Reis innerhalb
des kambodschanischen Agrarsystems zu untersuchen und zum anderen die
Umstände und Bedingungen für eine stärkere Diversifizierung zu erheben.
Reis wird in Kambodscha auf über 81% der nationalen Landwirtschaftsflächen
gepflanzt und stellt somit das Hauptanbauprodukt dar. Für Kambodschas Bauern ist
Reis sowohl die Haupteinnahmequelle als auch das Grundnahrungsmittel. Die starke
Fokussierung der Landwirtschaft auf Reis ist jedoch problematisch. Zum einen birgt
sie das Risiko einer hohen ökonomischen Abhängigkeit und Vulnerabilität, und kann
zu Gesundheitsproblemen, verbunden mit einer ausgewogenen oder sogar
mangelhaften Ernährung und einer ungesicherte und unnachhaltige
Lebensmittelversorgung führen. Zum anderen gefährdet die Vernachlässigung
anderer Nutzpflanzen die Erhaltung von Biodiversität auf nationaler, wie globaler
Ebene, und bringt das Land in wirtschaftliche Abhängigkeit vom Ausland.
In dieser Hinsicht hat des Projekt Cambiodiversity darauf gezielt, die Ursachen und
Umstände der aktuellen Reisdominanz in Kambodscha zu analysieren und
Empfehlungen für eine nachhaltige Agrardiversifizierung zu erarbeiten.
Hierfür wurde eine umfassende Erhebung durchgeführt, die sich sowohl auf
Interviews als auch auf Literaturrecherchen gestützt hat. Im Rahmen von 180
Interviews mit Bauern und anderen relevanten Akteuren, Politikern und Forschern in
Phnom Penh und einigen Provinzen des Landes wurden Erklärungsmuster für die
zentrale Rolle von Reis in der kambodschanischen Landwirtschaft erhoben und
Hindernisse, sowie mögliche Anreize für eine stärkere Diversifizierung des
Agrarsektors festgehalten. Ergänzend wurden relevante Publikationen
herangezogen, um so einen umfassenden Überblick über die kambodschanische
Biodiversität und insbesondere den Reisanbau zu erlangen.
Auf Grundlage dieser Umfragen und der Analyse der Ergebnisse wurden gemeinsam
Empfehlungen für eine mögliche Diversifizierung der kambodschanischen
Landwirtschaft erarbeitet. Diese Empfehlungen beziehen sich vor allem auf die
Probleme mangelhafter Bewässerungssysteme und ihrer Instandhaltung, des
fehlenden Wissens über Technologien und Schädlingsbekämpfung, und einer
unzureichenden Abdeckung von Risiken, die insbesondere Bauern oft davon
abhalten, andere Pflanzen als Reis anzubauen. Ebenso wurde in den Empfehlungen
die Notwendigkeit von mehr Kontaktmöglichkeiten zwischen Landwirten und
Politikebene, sowie von einer stärkeren Berücksichtigung von Genderaspekten in
Trainingsprogrammen und Politiken betont.
Die Hauptergebnisse des Projekts, sowie die daraus abgeleiteten Empfehlungen

wurden im Rahmen einer eintägigen Informationsveranstaltung politischen Akteuren,
Landwirten und anderen interessierten Personen präsentiert und mit ihnen diskutiert.
51
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54
7. ANNEX:
Documents in the Annex:
Interview Guidelines and Questionnaires
Project Outline (disseminated during Information Event, Phnom Penh)
List of participants, International Conference, Kunming, China
Project poster (produced by KEF)
Roundtable Invitation (produced by KEF)
55
PROJECT CAMBIODIVERSITY
GUIDELINE FOR THE INTERVIEWS (version 23-07-2008)
– Scheduled Start: August or September 2008 –
– 1 – GUIDELINES FOR THE CONDUCTION OF INTERVIEWS

– 2 – QUESTIONNAIRE WITH SUGGESTED QUESTIONS
– 1 – GUIDELINES FOR THE CONDUCTION OF INTERVIEWS

The Project in General:
The project Cambiodiversity is intended to deal with the issue of biodiversity in Cambodia. It
aims on the one hand at analysing the current predominance of rice in the Cambodian
agriculture sector and identifying the major reasons for this concentration. On the other hand,
it aims at assessing the possibility and conditions for further diversification and paving an
appropriate and sustainable way towards a more diversified agriculture.
The expected final outcomes of the Cambiodiversity project are therefore:

1. A comprehensive set of information and data reflecting
• the major reasons for the rice predominance in Cambodia’s agriculture
• the main barriers to further agro-diversification
• the main positive factors that may promote and foster agro-diversification
• what crops would be most appropriate to complement rice as primary crop
These information should increasingly reflect the interests, attitudes and expectations
from Cambodian farmers.
2. A set of recommendations for major stakeholders (policy-makers, decision takers,

scientists, NGOs, extension workers), as well as for farmers to show them how they
could contribute to further diversification of Cambodian agricultural system
3. Moreover: Encourage and foster enhanced networking and exchange with other
countries from the region (as well as from Europe) to benefit from their experience,
CAMBIODIVERSITY - GUIDELINE FOR THE REVIEW
7 May 2008
knowledge and capacities in the field of agro-diversification and conservation of

biodiversity.
To achieve these outcomes, the interviews will serve to reflect the opinion, interests and
knowledge of farmers, as well as provide additional information of scientists/ researchers/
international organisations and of national policy makers. This is on the one hand to
complement and found the data and facts collected during the review and assessment
activities, and on the other hand to prepare the subsequent elaboration of recommendations.
The purpose of the interviews is

• to get information on the reasons and conditions for rice cultivation in Cambodia;
• to collect information on perceptions, experience and attitudes of farmers concerning
the cultivation of rice;
• to assemble the knowledge and information of scientific and political stakeholders;
• to collect information on the disposition, conditions and probability of further
diversification of Cambodia’s agriculture, as well as the way it could be achieved
Questions to be addressed by the interviews and answered by the collected information

? WHAT ARE THE MAJOR REASONS THAT EXPLAIN THE PREDOMINANCE OF
RICE IN CAMBODIA’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR?
? Reasons of farmers
? Reasons from agronomical point of view
? Political/ Economic reasons
? WHAT ARE THE MAIN BARRIERS TO FURTHER DIVERSIFICATION?
? WHAT POSITIVE FACTORS MAY OR EVEN DO ALREADY SUPPORT AND
PROMOTE ENHANCED AGROBIODIVERSITY IN CAMBODIA?
? WHAT CROPS WOULD BE BEST ADAPTED TO COMPLEMENT RICE AS MAIN
STAPLE CROP AND CONTRIBUTE TO PROMOTE AGROBIOVERSITY?
? WHAT AREAS/ REGIONS IN CAMBODIA WOULD BE BEST ADAPTED?
Who should be interviewed?

• FARMERS: Farmers with small, medium and large farms who cultivate rice and/or
other crops for family and/ or commercial purposes;
• SCIENTISTS: Researchers from Universities who work on issues related to the
cultivation of rice (agronomy, economics and trade, etc…)
2
7 May 2008
• OTHER RESEARCHERS: Researchers from national or international researchers

institutes or organisations (National or international projects,…)
• STAFF FROM INTERNATIONAL OR FOREIGN ORGANISATIONS (ex. UN and
UN Organisations, GTZ, DED, World Bank, NGOs,… )
• NATIONAL POLICY MAKERS: notably policy makers, civil servants, etc… familiar
with policies, regulations, conventions, that affect the cultivation of rice and
Cambodia’s agriculture in general (ex. In ministries, national agencies, local
authorities, etc…)
Instructions for the conduction of interviews:

• FARMERS:
Please try to interview farmers with farms of different sizes (small,
medium, large size)
Please try to interview farmers who primarily cultivate rice and some
that do cultivate other, non-rice crops
Please try to interview also women
• SCIENTISTS AND POLICY MAKERS:
You can also add more open questions to the questionnaires: give them
the possibility to explain and comment the situation, to share their
view, if they accept.
• Take notes of all answers as comprehensively and exact as possible OR use a tape
recorder if available
• NB: The proposed questions are indicative: Please feel free to adapt them if
requested by the situation (ex. Interviewed persons wants to address an issue not
initially considered. Ex: If a person does not want to talk on a specific point, then
address other relevant aspects!) If you consider it necessary and interesting to add
some more questions or to modify a question, feel free to do so.
– 2 – QUESTIONNAIRE WITH SUGGESTED QUESTIONS
The table below provides for every group of interviewed persons (Farmers/ Scientists/ Policy-
makers) a list of suggested questions and some additional explanations and comments. Please
feel free to adapt these questions, if needed and appropriate.
3
7 May 2008
INTERVIEWED PERSONS SUGGESTED QUESTIONS COMMENTS & REMARKS

1) FARMERS : 1. What crops do you cultivate this year (define • Ad1: Let him/her make a list of all
crops he/she cultivates
“year” for Cambodia)? If possible, estimate how
many hectares and what percentage of cultivated
area.
a. Rice:
- water rice
- dry cultivation
b. What major non-rice crops:
• Ad2: Let him/ her explain for what

2. Which crops are grown for purpose rice and other crops are grown.
- own consumption
- exchange / barter trade
- profit ?
3. From where do you get the seeds? (e.g. market, • Ad3: Collect information on seed
supply in Cambodia.
extension worker, last yield, ….)
a. for rice
b. for non-rice crops
4
7 May 2008
4. What are the main reasons for cultivating

• Ad4: Collect and discuss the main
rice? Please comment the answer and give reasons and incentives for rice
cultivation.
additional information and examples.
• Please give for every question a (brief)
4a. What is the tradition of cultivating rice? response.
4b. What are the market opportunities for rice, compared • Leave the interviewed person enough
time for explaining and giving
to non-rice crops? Please give examples additional details, examples and
4c. For which crops do you get subsidies from the comments.
• Let him tell you short stories, for
government? instance how he goes to the market,
4d. Do you consider cultivating rice as particularly what problems he encounters in the
cultivation of rice and other crops,
secure or efficient for a successful harvest every year? about traditions and past experiences,
4e. What crop has ever been affected by pests or diseases etc…
so that your harvest was destroyed? Please comment.

4f. From where do you get knowledge and experience in
cultivating rice or cultivating other crops?
4g. What are your major reasons for cultivating rice?
– What are the major reasons for cultivating other, non-
rice crops?
5
7 May 2008
5. Do you remember if in this area other crops

• Ad5: Discuss the experience in the
than rice have been cultivated before? If yes
region with non-rice crops.
when and what crops? What were the main
reasons for dropping these crops? Has there been
NB: In case, there has never been
any intensification of the cultivation of rice since cultivation of non-rice crops in the area,
then please discuss for what major reasons
then?
not.
6. Do you consider growing other crops

• Ad6: Assess his perspective and
(additionally to rice) as a chance or as a risk? position towards growing rice or
chance, e.g.: more market opportunities, better growing non-rice crops.
rotation, less exposure to diseases or pests,

promoting soil fertility, balanced nutrition
risks: less subsidies, growing possibilities during

rainy seasons, lacking experience & knowledge,
access to seeds,
6
7 May 2008
7. Perspectives for the future: Do you expect over • Ad7: What are the plans for the future?
the next 10 years to grow more rice, less rice or
the same amount of rice? Or what other plans for
the future? e.g. quit agriculture.
2) SCIENTISTS: 1. What are the main reasons for the predominance WHAT SHOULD BE ASSESSED:
of rice in Cambodian Agricultural Sector?
= approx. 10-20 persons - Reasons for rice predominance from his/
her point of view
- Context of possible diversification: is it

officially planned? What are the major
problems and difficulties?
2. Are there plans/ initiatives to further diversify the
Is it possible, with regard to the Cambodian
Cambodian agriculture, for instance by the agricultural specificity (climate, soil,…)
government?
You can make quite open interviews:
-Try to provide information on the above
mentioned points but
- Give interviewed person enough time and
possibility to comment and detail and to
address issues not covered by the interview
3. What are the main barriers towards strengthening guideline, if relevant for the project.
the cultivation of non-rice crops?
7
7 May 2008
4. From agricultural point of view: Would it be feasible

to substitute parts of rice cultivation by growing
other crops? What crops?
What region, provinces would be most appropriate? And
for what reasons?
3) POLICY MAKERS: WHAT SHOULD BE ASSESSED:

1. What are the main priorities of the Cambodian
= approx. 10-20 persons - Political and Economic Context of current
Agrarian Policy over the next years? What are the rice predominance in Cambodia
plans and prospects for the rice cultivation?
- Context of possible diversification: is it
officially planned? What are the major
problems and difficulties?
Is it possible with regard to the Cambodian
2. Are there plans/ initiatives to further agricultural specificity (climate, soil,…)
diversification of the Cambodian agriculture? If yes,
- Information on the exchange and
please explain and comment. communication between the Government/
local authorities and the farmers
You can make rather open interviews

3. What are the main barriers for strengthening the
that help to provide information on the
cultivation of non-rice crops? above mentioned points.
Give interviewed person enough time
and possibility to comment and detail
and to address issues not covered by
8
7 May 2008
the interview guideline, if relevant for

the project.
4. What is the government doing to promote
biodiversity and the protection of biodiversity in
Cambodia? (Subsidies, Conferences, Training,
Programmes, Regulations, …)
5. How is the communication and exchange between

government and farmers organised? (exchange of
information, requests, questions…)
9
PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY
CONSERVATION IN CAMBODIA
AIMS OF CAMBIODIVERSITY
PROJECT PARTNERS:
• Analyse the role of rice in Cambodia’s agricul-
ture
• IDC – Vienna, Austria, Europe
• Promote cooperation with other researchers
• BOKU – Vienna, Austria, Europe
• Elaborate recommendations how to improve
• Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)
and support agro-biodiversity in Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Give farmers in Cambodia the possibility to ex-
press their interests and concerns about agricul-
Funded by KEF (Commission for Deve-
tural diversification
lopment Studies at the OeAD-GmbH)
• Connect farmers, researchers and policy-makers
• Contribute to poverty reduction.
Duration:18 months
April 2008 – October 2009
WHY DIVERSIFICATION?
• Ensure a balanced nutrition

• Ensure sustainable food supply
• Limit economic dependency
• Create new sources of income
• Contribute to poverty reduction
RECOMENDATIONS: How to promote
• Improve crop rotation and limit vulnerability
agro-biodiversity
from mono-culture
(elaborated in cooperation with farmers,
• Promote conservation of genetic resources
scientists and policymakers)
• Improve access to agricultural tools and CONTACT:

materials (seeds, fertilizers,...) http://www.idialog.eu/index.
• Improve agricultural market conditions, php?page=cambiodiversity
especially for cash-crop products
• Improve access to Dr. Angela Meyer
technology for crop production Organisation for International Dialogue and Con-
• Develop and improve irrigation and flict Management
drainage systems angela.meyer@idialog.eu
• Increase rural credit and investment
• Improve post harvest technology ( Food Sophal Chuong
processing techniques) Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia
• Improve sustainable agriculture sophal1954@hotmail.com
• Develop farmers associations
DI Veronika Hager
University of Natural Resources and Applied
Life Sciences, Vienna
List of participants
DIVERSEEDS: Networking on conservation and use of plant genetic resources in Europe and Asia
List of participants
P = DIVERSEEDS project member; A = DIVERSEEDS advisory board; G = invited guest
Ms. Selena Ahmed (G) Dr. Rivka Hadas (P)

Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Israel Plant Gene Bank
Sciences ARO, Volcani Centre
132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650204 POB 6 Bet-Dagan 50250
China Israel
Tel: +86 871 5223318 Tel: +972 3 9683896
Email: selenaceae@gmail.com Fax: +972 3 9683895
Email: rihadas@volcani.agri.gov.il
Dr. Poramate Banterng (P)
Dept. of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources Ms. Veronika Hager (P)
Faculty of Agriculture BOKU – University of Natural Resources and
Khon Kaen University Applied Life Sciences
Thailand 40002 Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding
Tel: +66 4334 2949 Gentzgasse 150/3/6, A-1180, Vienna
Fax: +66 4336 4636 Austria
Email: bporam@kku.ac.th Tel: +43 650 8636560
Email: veronikahager@gmx.at
Dr. Oz Barazani (P)
Israel Plant Gene Bank Prof. Karl Hammer (P)
Institute of Plant Sciences Kassel University
Agricultural Research Organization Steinstr. 19, D – 37213 Witzenhausen
Bet Dagan 50250 Germany
Israel Tel: +49 5542 981214 or +49 5542 981231
Tel: +972 3 9683942 Fax: +49 5542 981230
Fax: +972 3 9683895 Email: khammer@uni-kassel.de
Email: barazani@agri.gov.il
Mr. Lyda Hok (P)
Mr. Chuong Sophal (G) Department of Plant Science and Agricultural
The Royal University of Agriculture Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen
Cambodia University
Tel: +855 11 918 901 Thailand 40002
Email: sophal1954@hotmail.com Tel: +66 4334 2949
Fax: +66 4336 4636
Prof. Dai Luyuan (G) Email: hoklyda@yahoo.com
Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Jiang'an District, Kunming, Yunnan 650231 Prof. Dr. Kang Dingming (G)
China Plant Genetic Breeding Department
Tel: +86 871 5195719 College of Agronomy and Biotechnology
Email: luyuandai@yahoo.com.cn China Agricultural University
Yuanmingyuan Xilu No. 2, Beijing 100094
Dr. Brian Ford-Lloyd (P) China
School of Biosciences Tel: +86 10 62756091
University of Birmingham Fax: +86 10 62751847
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT Email: kdm@pku.edu.cn
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 121 4145565 Ms. Shelagh Kell (P)
Fax: +44 121 4145925 School of Biosciences
Email: b.ford-lloyd@bham.ac.uk University of Birmingham
Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
Dr. Song Ge (A) United Kingdom
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Tel: +44 1297 678117
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093 Fax: +441297 678117
China Email: s.kell@bham.ac.uk
Tel: +86 10 62836097
Fax: +86 10 62590843
Email: gesong@ibcas.ac.cn
DIVERSEEDS second international meeting: final list of participants

1
Ms. Lei Lei (P) Dr. Nigel Maxted (P)

Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences School of Biosciences
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Haidian district University of Birmingham
Beijing 100093 Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
China United Kingdom
Tel: +86 10 62836653 Tel: +44 121 4145571
Email: leilei@ibcas.ac.cn Fax: +44 121 4145925
Email: nigel.maxted@dial.pipex.com
Ms. Chun-yan Li (G)
Faculty of Agronomy and Biotechnology, Yunnan Mr. Camillo Meinhart (P)
Agricultural University Organization for International Dialogue and Conflict
Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan 650201 Management (IDC)
China Abt-Karlg. 19/21, 1180 Vienna
Email: lcy_biology2@126.com Austria
Email: camillo.meinhart@idialog.eu
Prof. Li Dezhu (G)
Kunming Institute of Botany Dr. Angela Meyer (P)
132 Lanhei Road, Heilongtan, Kunming Organisation for International Dialogue and Conflict
Yunnan 650204 Management (IDC)
China Abt-Karl-Gasse 19/21, 1180 Vienna
Tel: +86 871 5223503 Austria
Fax: +86 871 5216201 Tel: +43 1 9900811 or +43 650 2258088
Email: dzl@mail.kib.ac.cn Email: angela.meyer@idialog.eu
Dr. Yinghui Li (P) Mr. Aung Naing Oo (P)

Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Department of Plant Science and Agricultural
Agricultural Sciences Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen
12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District, University
Beijing 100081 Thailand 40002
China Tel: +66 4334 2949
Tel: +86 10 62186650 Fax: +66 4336 4636
Fax: +86 10 62186624 Email: ano1972@gmail.com
Email: dadousoybean@yahoo.com.cn
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Lam (P)
Prof. Long Chunlin (A) Hanoi University of Agriculture
Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Trau Quy, Gia Lam, Hanoi
Sciences Vietnam
132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650204 Tel: +84 4 8765607
China Fax: +84 4 8766642
Tel: +86 871 5223233 Email: lamkku@yahoo.com
Fax: +86 871 5223233
Email: long@mail.kib.ac.cn Dr. Nguyen Thanh Minh (G)
Plant Variety Protection Office, Department of Crop
Prof. Bao-Rong Lu (A) Production, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Fudan University Development (MARD)
Handan Rd. #220, Shanghai 200433 No. 2 Ngocha Street, Badinh, Hanoi
China Vietnam
Tel: +86 21 65643668 Tel: +84 4 8435182
Fax: +86 21 65643668 Fax: +84 4 7342844
Email: brlu@fudan.edu.cn Email: minh_pvp@yahoo.com
Prof. Ma Keping (A) Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Tung (G)

Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Hanoi University of Agriculture
No. 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshang, Beijing Trau Quy, Gia Lam, Hanoi
China Vietnam
Tel: +86 10 62836223 Tel: +84 4 8765607
Fax: +86 10 62590835 Fax: +84 4 8766642
Email: kpma@ibcas.ac.cn Email: cares@hn.vnn.vn

2
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Anan Polthanee (P) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Van Liet (G)
Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Hanoi University of Agriculture
Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen Trauquy townlet, Gialam district, Hanoi city
University, Khon Kaen Vietnam
Thailand 40002 Tel: +84 04 8765 635
Tel: +66 4334 2949 Fax: +84 04 8276 554
Fax: +66 4336 4636 Email: vvliet@hua.edu.vn
Email: panan@kku.ac.th
Prof. Yun-yue Wang (G)
Dr. Prof. Lijuan Qiu (P) National Centre for Agrobiodiversity Research and
Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of Development, Yunnan Agricultural University
Agricultural Sciences Kunming 650201, Yunnan
12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District China
Beijing 100081 Tel/Fax: +86 871 5220389
China Email: yunyuewang40@hotmail.com
Tel: +86 10 62135623
Fax: +86 10 62186624 Dr. Wei Wei (P)
Email: qiu_lijuan@263.net Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093
Ms. Chutima Ratanasatien (A) China
Plant Variety Protection Division, Department of Tel: +86 10 62836275
Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Fax: +86 10 82596146
50 Phaholyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Email: weiwei@ibcas.ac.cn
Thailand
Tel: +66 2 9407214 Mr. Ji-jun Xing (G)
Fax: +66 2 5614665 Division of European Affairs
Email: chutima_ratanasatien@yahoo.com Department of International Cooperation
Ministry of Science and Technology of China
Dr. Markus Schmidt (P) No.15B Fuxing Road, Beijing 100862
Organization for International Dialogue and Conflict China
Management (IDC) Tel: +86 10 58881350
Abt-Karlg. 19/21, 1180 Vienna Email: xingjj@most.gov.cn
Austria
Tel: +43 660 6856623 Ms. Chun-yan Yang (G)
Fax: +43 19900811 Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of
Email: markus.schmidt@idialog.eu Sciences
132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650204
Mr. Zhi-xi Tang (P) China
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Tel: +86 871 5223318
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093 Email: yangchunyan@mail.kib.ac.cn
China
Tel: +86 10 62590258 Dr. Zeng-Yan Zhang (P)
Fax: +86 10 82596146 Institute of Crop Science, Chinese Academy of
Email: tangzhixi@ibcas.ac.cn Agricultural Sciences
12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District,
Prof. Dr. Tran Dinh Long (A) Beijing 100081
Vietnamese Seed Association China
No. 2 Ngocha, Badinh, Hanoi Tel: +86 10 68918781
Vietnam Fax: +86 10 68975212
Tel: +84 4 7623641 Email: zhangzy@mail.caas.net.cn
Fax: +84 4 7339718
Email: long_trandinh@yahoo.com.vn Dr. Zhang Zongwen (P)
Bioversity International
Mr. Tran Van Dien (G) c/o CAAS, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie
Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Beijing 100081
Thai Nguyen City China
Vietnam Tel: +86 10 62105686
Tel: +84 280 851822 Fax: +86 10 62105684
Fax: +84 280 851822 Email: z.zhang@cgiar.org
Email: tranvandientn@vnn.vn

3
Unable to attend:
Prof. Dr. Kang Chong (G) Dr. Korous Khoshbakht (P)

Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences University of Kassel
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093 Stein Strasse 19, Witzenhausen 37213
China Germany
Email: chongk@ibcas.ac.cn Tel: +49 5542 982114
Fax: +49 5542 982130
Prof. Dr. Xiannin Diao (G) Email: kkhoshbakht@yahoo.com
Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Hebei Province
China Prof. Dr. Fan Liu (G)
Email: xmdiao@yahoo.com.cn National Vegetable Research Centre, Beijing
China
Dr. Jan Engels (P) Email: liufan@nercv.com
Bioversity International
Via dei Tre Denari 472/a Mr. Lorenzo Maggioni (P)
00057 Maccarese (Fiumicino), Rome Bioversity International, Via dei Tre Denari 472/a
Italy 00057 Maccarese (Fiumicino), Rome
Tel: +39 066118222 Italy
Fax: +39 0661979661 Tel: +39 066118231
Email: j.engels@cgiar.org Fax: +39 0661979661
Email: l.maggioni@cgiar.org
Dr. Lothar Frese (A)
Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI) Prof. Valeria Negri (A)
Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural University of Perugia
Crops Borgo XX Giugno74, 06121 Perugia
Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, 06484 Quedlinburg Italy
Germany Tel: +39 075 5856218
Tel: +49 3946 47701 Fax: +39 075 5856224
Fax: +49 3946 47255 Email: vnegri@unipg.it
Email: lothar.frese@jki.bund.de
Mr. Georges Papageorgiou (G)
Mr. Gregor Giersch (P) Minister Counsellor, Science and Technology
IDC, Organization for International Dialogue and Section, Qian Kun Mansion, 6, Sanlitun Xi Liu Jie,
Conflict Management Beijing, 100027
Austria China
Email: gregor.giersch@idialog.eu Tel : +86 10 84548170
Fax: +86 10 84548011
Dr. Ralph Gretzmacher (P) Email: georges.papageorgiou@ec.europa.eu
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life
Sciences Prof. Dr. Yong Peng (G)
Gregor-Mendel-Strasse 33, 1180 Wien Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD)
Austria Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS)
Tel: +43 1 47 654/3331 Beijing
Fax: +43 1 36 92073 China
Email: ralph.gretzmacher@boku.ac.at Email: ypeng@implad.ac.cn
Prof. Guo Huijun (G) Prof. Dr. Songquan Song (G)

Department of Forestry, Yunnan Provincial Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Government 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093
120 Qingnian Road, Kunming, Yunnan China
China Email: sqsong@ibcas.ac.cn
Dr. Tin Htut (A) Prof. Sun Haiqing (G)

Plant Genetic Resources Management Division Department of Agriculture, Yunnan Provincial
Department of Agriculture Research Government
Myanmar 169 Wanhua Road, Kunming, Yunnan
China

4
Dr. Eva Thörn (A) Prof. Hu-qu Zhai (A)

SEEDNET Coordinator Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish Biodiversity Centre 12 Zhongguancun South Street, Haidian District
Swedish Uni. of Agricultural Sciences Beijing 100081
P.O. Box 54, 230 53 Alnarp China
Sweden Email: zhaihq@mail.caas.net.cn
Tel: +46 40 415587
Fax: +46 40 460845 Prof. Dr. Daming Zhang (G)
Email: eva.thorn@cbm.slu.se Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093
Lambert Visser (A) China
Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands Email: zhangdm@ibcas.ac.cn
(CGN)
Wageningen University and Research Centre Dr. Xing Zhi (G)
P.O. Box 16 Department of Science and Technology
6700 AA Wageningen State Forestry Administration of China, Beijing
The Netherlands China
Tel: +31 317 477184 Email: zhixinss@yahoo.com.cn
Fax: +31 317 418094
Email: bert.visser@wur.nl Mr. Haifei Zhou (P)
Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Prof. Jianlin Wang (G) 20 Nanxincun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093
Tibetan University (University of Xizang) China
Tibetan Autonomous Region Tel: +86 10 62836503
China Email: zhouhf@ibcas.ac.cn
Email: xzwangjl@126.com
Prof. Dr. Tianyu Wang (G)

Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Zhongguancun South Street
Haidian District, Beijing 100081
China
Email: wangtianyu@263.net
Mr. Ming-zhang Wen (G)

Department of Life Science
The National Nature Science Foundation of China
No.83 Shuangqing Lu, Haidian district
Beijing 100085
China
Tel: +86 10 62327195
Fax: +86 10 62326916
Email: wenmz@nsfc.gov.cn
Prof. Dr. Dayuan Xue (A)

Chinese Institute of Environment and Resources
Protection for Minority Area
Central University for Nationalities, Beijing
China
Tel: +86 13910176361
Fax: +86 10 68931632
Email: xuedayuan@hotmail.com
Dr. Lun Yin (G)

Centre for Biodiversity and Indigenous Knowledge
(CBIK), Kunming, Yunnan
China
Email: yinlun@cbik.ac.cn

5
Promoting Biodiversity Conservation in Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Vienna, Austria
Background
Over half of the world’s requirement for proteins and calo-

ries are met by just three species, notably maize, wheat and
rice, while a further six crops or commodities - sorghum,
millet, potato, sweet potato, soybean and sugar (cane/beet)
- bring the total to 75% of the global energy intake. Crop
diversification plays an increasingly important role for sus-
tainable development and poverty alleviation, as it improves
the nutritional well-being, especially of the poor, while sti-
mulating increased income for farmers.
Today, the diversity of the Earth‘s plant life is under threat
as never before. In Agriculture, the widespread adoption of
a few improved varieties has narrowed the genetic base of
important food crops and led to the vanishing of hundreds Fig. 2 & 3: Interview and discussion with local farmers
of landraces. However, and as emphasized by the FAO, the
guarantee of biodiversity and the conservation and sustai-
nable use of plant genetic diversity are fundamental issues Major challenges identified
to meet the world’s development needs and to promote
and support a sufficient and balanced food supply in order (1) Lack of irrigation: Only 20% of cultivated fields are irrigated – mainly no cultivation during the wet
to impede a further increase of global poverty. season
(2) Lack of education and knowledge (farmers) about non-rice crops cultivation
(3) Technical support and subsidies mainly concern rice cultivation
(4) Gap between political commitment towards biodiversity and the current real situation
Cambodia (5) Limited market opportunities for non-rice crops, fear of market instability
> Rice = predominant crop in Cambodia‘s agriculture
> 80% rural population Outcomes
> Large variety of other crops
> 2002 – ITPGR ratified by Kingdom of Cambodia (1) Assessment of Cambodia’s biodiversity, by
emphasising on the issue of the predominant
BUT: only few policies or research on minor crops position of rice within the country’s agricul-
SO: Agriculture mainly focused on rice ture, despite other yet more or less neglected
crops. The project encourages a strong inte-
gration of local and traditional knowledge, of
local populations, producers and particularly
women.
(2) Promotion of the cooperation with other
researchers and the establishment of North-
South and South-South networks.
(3) Elaboration of recommendations aiming at
Fig. 4: Survey: approximate location of the district in the 12 improving and supporting Cambodia’s agro-
provinces where interviews with representatives of farming
households took place. biodiversity.
Fig. 1: Discussion with local farmers
Project Purpose
In view of the described problematic, the main purpose of

this project will be to support the Cambodian researchers
from RUA in analysing the circumstances of the current rice
predominance in Cambodia in order to assess the probabi-
lity and conditions for a stronger and sustainable diversifi-
cation of the Cambodian agriculture. Hereby, it will consider
the technical, economic and social context. Based on this Fig. 5: Dr. Angela Meyer, Dr. Chuong Sophal and D.I. Veronika Hager
assessment, the project will elaborate recommendations on
how a diversification of the rice-basis Cambodian agriculture Project team
could effectively be achieved.
Given the before mentioned broad significance of a diversi- Dr. Angela Meyer, Organisation for International Dialogue and Conflict Management (IDC), Vienna,
fied agriculture and the promotion of less considered spe- Austria (project manager)
cies, the project partners aim at making a substantial joint D.I. Veronika Hager, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU), Department
contribution to the promotion of sustainable development of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology, Vienna, Austria
and poverty reduction in Cambodia, as well as, in a broader Dr. Chuong Sophal, Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
perspective, to the preservation of global biodiversity and
the implementation of the FAO Treaty on Plant Genetic Re- Project duration
sources. 18 months (2008 – 2009)
kef
commission for development studies
at the OeAD-GmbH
Commission for Development KEF Events 2009
Studies at the OeAD-GmbH (KEF)
Chair: Prof. Gerhard Glatzel

Visit our website:
Research for Development
http://www.kef-online.at
Email: office-kef@oead.at
Commission for Development Studies at the
OeAD-GmbH (KEF)
Roundtables
The Commission for Development Studies
was founded in 1981 as a follow-up to the
1979 UN-Conference ‘Science and Technol-
ogy for Development’ in Vienna.
As a small organisation KEF aims at bridging

the gap between science and development
by supporting a development-oriented ap-
proach in research and science.
KEF members are scientists working at uni-

versities and other research organisations,
NGOs and international organisations as well
as political decision-makers representing
four different ministries.
KEF both carries out applied cooperative re-

search projects with Austrian partners and
partners in developing countries and acts as University of Natural Resources and Applied
an advisory body to the scientific community, Life Sciences
the private sector, to government bodies and
to funding agencies with regard to scientific
issues of development cooperation. With financial support of:
Ministry of Science and Research
Agro-biodiversity for a sustainable

This event was kindly endorsed
by:
development in Cambodia
For organisational matters we kindly
ask you to register for this event by April 15th, 2009
sending an E-Mail to:
17.30-19.30
Ms Beatrix Summerer
SR 09
Schwackhöfer Haus, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life
E-Mail: office-kef@oead.at Sciences, Vienna
Peter Jordan Straße 82
Web: http://www.kef-online.at
1190 Vienna
Royal University of Agriculture,
Cambodia
http://www.kef-online.at
Agro-biodiversity for a sustainable develop-
ment in Cambodia Programme:
Dr. Chuong Sophal: KEF-Project 161 17.30-18.15
Promoting biodiversity conservation in Cambodia (Organisation for International
Dialogue and Conflict Management (IDC) / University of Natural Resources and
Applied Life Sciences Vienna / Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh) Opening by
Cambodia is situated in the southeast of Asia, its and unsustainable food supply due to external de- Prof. Dr. Gerhard Glatzel,
area comprises about 181,000 square kilometres, pendencies and the global threat of constant ge- Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences,
which are populated by around 13.9 million people. netic resources. University of Natural Resources and
Rice is presenting the predominantly grown crop The project Cambiodiversity is intended, on the one Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
and providing the population’s main caloric intake. hand, to analyse the current pre-eminent position
Other crops, such as soybeans or mung beans, of rice in Cambodian agricultural system and to as-
taro, groundnuts or sesame, are not sufficiently Project presentation by
considered by national policies or research. There-
Dr. Chuong Sophal,

,
Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia

Promoting biodiversity conservation
in Cambodia (Phnom Penh/Cambodia,
Vienna/Austria)
18.15-19.30
Roundtable discussion with...
Dr. Angela Meyer, ,
Board Director, Organisation for

fore, they only occupy a marginal place within the sess, on the other hand, the probability and condi-
International Dialogue and Conflict
rice-based farming system, despite the nutritional tions for a further diversification.
Management
and economic value they could have for the popu-
lation. The aims of the project are:
This strong concentration on rice and the neglect of
Prof. Dr. Rainer Haas,
other crops give rise to several risks and problems, • Assessment of Cambodia’s biodiversity, by em- Department of Economics and Social
notably to a non-balanced nutrition, a non-secure phasising on the issue of the predominant position Sciences, University of Natural Resources
of rice within the country’s agriculture. and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
• Promotion of the cooperation with other research-
ers and the establishment of North-South and
Prof. Dr. Ralph Gretzmacher,
South-South networks.
• Elaboration of recommendations aiming at improv- Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences,
ing and supporting Cambodia’s agro-biodiversity. University of Natural Resources and
• Giving local farmers, as well as more specifically Applied Life Sciences, Vienna
women, more possibilities to express their interests
and concerns and to have them considered within
policy and agenda setting processes on agricultural Moderated by
diversification.
• Promotion of global biodiversity. Prof. Dr. Gerhard Glatzel

Final Report Activities For Camb

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Organisation for International Dialogue KEF Project 161

and Conflict Management (IDC)

PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

Project financed by the Commission for Development Studies

Dr. Angela Meyer (IDC, Vienna), Project Coordinator

All pictures by Angela Meyer, Veronika Hager and Sophal Chuong

1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT......................................... 6

BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT ..................................................................................... 6

2.1. MAJOR ACTIVITIES WITHIN WORK PACKAGE 1........................................................ 15

3. OUTCOMES AND IMPACT ............................................................................... 28

3.1 ANALYSIS OF ASSESSMENT RESULTS ....................................................................... 28

IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND GUARANTEE THE MAINTENANCE OF IRRIGATION

CARDI Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

CEDAC Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture

CIRAD Centre de coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le

DED German Development Service

FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation

GERES Groupe Energies Renouvelables, Environnement et Solidarités

GRET Groupe de recherche et d’échanges technologiques/ Research and

MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

PDAC Project for Diversification of Agriculture in Cambodia

PUAC Peri-Urban Agriculture Centre

CBD United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

ITPGR International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources

UNEP - GEF United Nations Development Programme - Global Environment Facility

UN MDG United Nations Millennium Goal(s)

WFP World Food Programme

Background of the project

Aim, approach and purposes of the Project

The Organisation for International Dialogue

IDC is an interdisciplinary policy research organisation based in Vienna and

Project Collaborator in Austria

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences,

Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding

The Royal University of Agriculture (RUA)

The Royal University of Agriculture is a public administrative institution with the

Royal University of Agriculture

The project Cambiodiversity was structured into five work packages.

Work package 1 encompassed all coordination and management activities, including

2.1. Major activities within Work package 1

2.2. Major activities within Work package 2

Afterwards, the project partners discussed the appropriateness of the questionnaires

Locations and amounts of interviews conducted with a representative of a farm household in 12

The 12 provinces where interviews with representatives of farming households were

- Seven lowland provinces, where rainfed rice agriculture dominates

In total, 29 policy makers have been interviewed.

Methodology behind location and respondent selection and interviewing

The RUA team was composed of the following researchers:

(2) Review activities

2.3. Major activities within Work package 3

Project Meeting in Cambodia, 25.08. - 31. 08.2008

The project meeting in Cambodia encompassed a half-day meeting at the Royal

Meeting at RUA, 26.08.2008

First series of interviews with farmers, 28. and 29.08.2008

RUA students interviewing farmers in Interviews with land workers in Kandal

Concluding meeting, 29.08.2008

International Conference in Kunming, China, 02.09 – 05.09.2008

From 2 to 5 September, 2008, the Cambiodiversity partners, Angela Meyer, Veronika

The Cambiodiversity Team, in front of the The Conference Participants (Angela

Round table dicussion, 15.04.2009

The roundtable was opened by a presentation of the panel and

Information Event in Phnom Penh, 23.09.2009