AGRICULTURE RELATED SOCIAL SAFETY-NET A RESPONSE TO GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS





Paper for: 14th Government Development Partner Coordination Committee (GDCC), on 28 April, 2009- CDC, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 

I- Overview of Agriculture Sector

• Cambodia is an agricultural country. 80% of people living in rural areas and they rely on agriculture for their livelihood;

• Cambodia is rich in natural resources, including agricultural land, forestry and fisheries that are favorable to agricultural development;

• Agriculture plays an important role for economic growth, poverty reduction, social safety-net, particularly food security as well as 70% of jobs for people;

II- Strategic Framework

• Rectangular Strategy;

• Agricultural Strategic Development Plan (2006-2010);

• Strategy for Agriculture and Water (2006-2006).

The long term visions and goals of the strategies are to improve productivity and diversification of agriculture, to ensure enough and safety food availability for all people, to reduce poverty, increase GDP per capita and sustainable natural resource management and conservation.

 

III- Agriculture for Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction

1. Agriculture Share in GDP:
In 2008, The global financial crisis has dropped down the share of industry and services section in GDP, thereby increased the agriculture share from 28.5% to 34.4%.

2. Evolution of Agriculture Growth (%) 1999-2008:

IV- Food Availibity

• Rice symbolize the state of food security in Cambodia with 68% of calories intake per capita;

• Other non-rice food includes: subsidiary crops, livestock products, fisheries products ect…

1- Rice Production:

2- Rice Balance 2008-2009

3. Livestock Production

• The Cattle increased around 13% from 3 million to 3.4 million
  heads in 2004-2008;

• Pig decreased around 8% from 2.42 million to 2.21 million heads
  in 2004-2008;

The Poultry development:

• The poultry production decreased caused by bird flu outbreak in
  2004;

• Since 2005, the poultry production considerably increased from
  15 million heads in 2005 to 16.9 million heads in 2008.

4. Fisheries

• Inland Fisheries: Decreased from 395,000 mt (2007) to 365,000
  mt, in 2008 due to change of natural water condition (the level of
  water was lower than last year);

• Marine Fisheries: Marine catches was around 66,000 million
  tones (2008), increased 18% within 5 years;

• Aquaculture: Increased from 20,535 tones to 40,000 tones;

• Fisheries Community: 468 Fishery Communities (227,044
  members).

V- Relevant on-going Programmes/Projects for Poverty Reduction and Improving Food Security

Beside Government efforts to increase and diversify production, there are a number of external funded projects being implemented with specific purpose of reducing poverty and improving food security among the poor and vulnerable groups.

Distribution of relevant on-going project by agro-ecological regions:

VI- Measures

In response to the global financial crisis, the following measures

should be undertaken:

1. Strongly implement the five programmes under SAW, particular food security support programmes and other poverty reduction and food security related projects.

The five programmes are:

(i)- Institutional capacity building and management support program for
      agriculture and water;
(ii)- Food Security Support Program;
(iii)- Agriculture and agri-business (Value Chain) support program;
(iv)- Water resource management, Irrigation, and land program;
(v)- Agricultural and water research, education and extension program.
 

2. Implement Government initiatives of ” Agricultural Fund ” to support agriculture;

3. Continue implementation of Government fiscal policy on agricultural inputs, agricultural machinaries and equipments; and strengthen monitoring on price of imported fertilizer

4. Intensify and diversify food production by smallholder farming households, particularly those that are food income;

5. Accelerating access of smallholders to improve technology, improve agricultural inputs, improve soil quality and water management;

6. To further enhance agricultural productivity and diversification at national level;

7. Increase public investment in physical infrastructure including transportation, irrigation, market facility in agricultural research and extension;

8. Strengthening community based organization;

9. Develop agro-processing and agri-business;

10. Develop micro credit.