Cambodian Farmers Bid Goodbye To Monsoon, But El Nino Threat Hangs Over Farmland

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Oct 28 (NNN) -- This year’s monsoon may be over in October, but Cambodia’s farmers are not out of danger.

Farmers, mostly in the kingdom’s northern part, are suffering from the vagaries of unpredictable monsoon conditions that shifted from drought to floods this season. 

El Nino slashed rainfall by almost 50 per cent early in the season, leaving rice fields parched in July, before heavy September rains swamped the fertile agrarian provinces. 

“The farming sector in Cambodia remains risky after the end of the monsoon as smallholders face severe climate change, in particular El Nino.

“Some areas are still affected by flash floods like Battambang and nearby provinces (Banteay Meanchey),” Cambodian Farmer Federation Association chief executive Son Sotha told Bernama.

“Generally, farmers lose around 10 per cent of their expected harvested crops, while livestock farmers face low market price issues caused by production exceeding market demand.”

Many rural families now raise chickens and swines on a planned year-round basis to boost their income, but cheaper imported meat is squeezing the market for local producers, said Sotha.

Cambodia is prone to both drought and floods. About 80 per cent of Cambodians live on low-lying land along the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, according to the World Bank, while farmers rely on rainfall because irrigation facilities are limited. 

Cambodia’s Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry has forecast that the rainy season will continue until October, with El Nino conditions expected to persist until February 2027.

Against this backdrop, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday approved a US$72 million (RM294 million) financing package to strengthen rural farming in Cambodia and increase women’s participation in the sector.

The move will uplift the economic status of about 200,000 smallholder farmers in disaster-prone areas.

“Investing in smallholder farmers, particularly women, is essential for boosting the rural economy and supporting poor communities that are most vulnerable to extreme weather events,” ADB Country Director for Cambodia Yasmin Siddiqi said in a statement.

“By helping women lead and participate in local decision-making and development programmes, this project will scale up inclusive agricultural value chains and strengthen food systems, while driving women-led businesses and supporting families to build healthier, more secure, and resilient futures.”

Overlapping natural hazards such as heatwaves, drought and flooding impact Cambodia’s agriculture and food systems by damaging infrastructure, limiting market access, and exacerbating food insecurity, particularly in rural areas, where 59 per cent of the country’s population live, said ADB in the statement.

Women, representing 51 per cent of Cambodia’s agricultural labour force, are among the most vulnerable, as they face limited access to economic opportunities, support and financing, according to the multilateral development bank.

The 2024 INFORM Risk Index ranks Cambodia as the world’s fourth most flood-exposed country and 58th out of 191 countries for disaster risk, underscoring the vulnerability of communities across the Mekong and Tonle Sap basins.

The agricultural sector is a key driver of the national economy, contributing about 16 per cent to the gross domestic product. 

--NNN