Nearly all of the 93,583 hectares of drought-affected rice fields across 17 provinces and the capital, have been irrigated since December last year, announced the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology. On Sunday, March 23, the ministry noted that the total planned area for dry-season rice cultivation nationwide in 2024-2025 was 535,600 hectares. However, actual cultivation reached 907,035 hectares. Intervention efforts to pump water to rice and mixed crops provided irrigation to 93,133 of the 93,583 hectares which required assistance. A total of 173 water pumps were used in these operations, consisting of 169 mobile pumps and four stationary pumps.…
Author: post staff
A youth-led environment group – the Future Pioneers – recently completed a three-day mission to a fishing community in Kampot province. The project, known as “Green Sphere” saw 11 hand-picked university students gain hands-on experience and understanding of sustainable community development. Held at Kampong Samaki Fishery Community, the initiative aimed to bridge the gap between urban youth, local communities and environmental conservation. Green Sphere’s theme was “Youth are Connected with Environment and Community”, noted Piet Vichay, founder and project lead of Green Sphere. He explained that the programme pursued three core objectives: immersing urban youth in the daily lives of…
The Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary, located in one of the Kingdom’s many protected natural resource areas, which cover more than one million hectares in Mondulkiri province. The Keo Seima REDD+ project is currently being implemented over an area of 166,983 hectares within a larger sanctuary of over 300,000 hectares of the Wildlife Sanctuary, as part of a collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and WCS Cambodia. Senior reporter Phak Seangly of The Post sat down with Sin Satha, director of the Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary Office, to discuss the management of thousands of items seized from crimes in the region.…
The members of Kep province’s Phum Thmey fishing community have confirmed that marine fishery resources have doubled, significantly improving their livelihoods, thanks to support from the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Sustainable Marine Fisheries and Coastal Areas Project. On March 19, Masato Kanda, the newly-elected ADB president, led a delegation from the bank on a tour of the fishing community. They were warmly welcomed by Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Nuh Yep, acting head of the community, explained that since receiving the support of the ADB project, fisheries resources in the area have flourished, leading to better living…
Five representatives of the Metta Forest Protection Community have asked that criminal charges against them be dismissed by the Kampong Speu Provincial Court. The five appeared in court on March 18 to face charges of “intentional property damage and public defamation”, which they say are related to a land dispute with military families. They stand accused of committing these acts in Oral district’s Pou Meas village, in Trapeang Chour commune, between October 19 and 23, 2021. Forest crimes reportedly continue to occur in the area. On March 21, 41-year-old Khorn Sarith, one of the five accused community members, said that…
In recent years, the stories of low-income Cambodians trapped in a vicious cycle of debt by microfinance have gained considerable attention. Featured in Bloomberg and DW (Deutsche Welle), these anecdotes paint a grim picture of microfinance not as a lifesaver but as a shark, leading people to wonder whether microfinance is a lifeline for the poor. To better understand its impacts, I first discuss its roots, followed by its development, causes and effects in Cambodia. Finally, I will explore some measures to mitigate its dark side. The root of microfinance The financial system plays a key role in an economy…
Noel Grealish, Minister of State at Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has announced that this year, the Irish government will provide €800,000 ($865,000) of funding to support the HALO Trust’s mine clearance efforts in Cambodia. The minister is visiting the Kingdom this week as part of a programme to mark Ireland’s National Day, St. Patrick’s Day. He announced the funding during a visit to the HALO Trust operations base in Siem Reap province. He also presented the trust with a vehicle and essential demining equipment. “Disarmament is a cornerstone of Ireland’s foreign policy and Ireland plays a…
Acclaimed Los Angeles-based band Dengue Fever, known for their signature fusion of Cambodian classics, rock and world music, is set for a triumphant return to the Kingdom, with a sold out show … tonight. Their much-anticipated performance – at Chew & Bash on Koh Pich – will be their first in the country since 2016. The band’s music is deeply rooted in Cambodian culture, drawing inspiration from the 1960s and 70s golden age of Khmer pop. “Of course the connection runs deep. Our lead singer, Chhom Nimol, is a Khmer native and as a child stayed in refugee camps following…
Mango processing company Cangxinlong Food (Cambodia) Co., Ltd has been fined 300 million riel (approximately $75,000) for failing to manage wastewater discharge, which polluted a public water source in Pailin province’s Stung Kach commune in Sala Krau district for the second time. An inspection team from the Ministry of Environment, provincial authorities, Department of Environment, Department of Water Resources, Department of Agriculture and district authorities conducted an investigation into the company’s wastewater management on March 18 and 19. The inspectors determined that the O’Roel stream was completely polluted from Kbal Lan to the Steung Kuy, with noticeable changes in water…
Teachers and students at Hun Sen Chamkar Doung High School in Kep province have received a head start with their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) skills, thanks to an Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded programme. School principal Long Sophea told The Post about the Second Upper Secondary Education Sector Development Program (USESDP-2), during a recent ADB-led media visit. He explained that the programme provided a resource building which includes a meeting room, library, computer lab and a science laboratory. Equipped with scientific tools and materials that allow students to conduct hands-on studies, the facility cost approximately $350,000. The principal added…