CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE

CAMBODIA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2011

Ministry of Environment Cambodia CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE

CAMBODIA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2011

Ministry of Environment Cambodia Climate Change and Agriculture in Cambodia

1. Introduction larger towns and cities of Cambodia, as well as in neighbouring countries. Migration can be More than 70 percent of a population of 13.5 an important component of wider household million, or about 9.5 million people, are engaged livelihood strategies and an important strategy in agriculture to some extent (FAO/MoP 2010). for coping with shocks and crises, but also The vast majority are smallholder farmers. creates its own risks and vulnerabilities.

Rural livelihoods in Cambodia are diverse and Livestock rearing is a key part of rural livelihoods, dynamic. Along with farming rice, households providing a means for savings in the case of juggle a range of activities. Critically, this includes larger livestock and sources of income and food rearing livestock, harvesting fi sh and other with regard to pigs and poultry (Tong 2009). aquatic animals, and harvesting non-timber Production remains primarily small-scale, and forest products. Increasingly, rural households its contribution to total agricultural production are involved in off -farm employment, with some remains largely static, providing only 15.3 members migrating to fi nd employment in the percent of total agricultural product, equivalent

© UNDP/Arantxa Cedillo Agriculture – and in particular rice farming – continues to play a critical role in rural livelihoods and in the cultural imaginations of rural people in Cambodia.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE 1 to 4.32 million head in 2009 (MAFF 2010). are a signifi cant economic activity (MAFF Livestock (cattle, buff alo and pigs) has great 2010). Its production is estimated using catch potential, but is largely constrained by limited records and is stated as being between 280,000 extension and veterinary services as well as tonnes and 400,000 tonnes per year of fi sh weak marketing channels throughout rural (MRC 2004). These fi gures may overlook small areas. Poor livestock health is a major factor in rice fi eld and fl oodplain fi sheries. Recent household income security (Tong 2009). studies suggest that total production levels are in the region of 524,000 to 616,000 tonnes At the same time, Cambodia’s freshwater capture per year (Hortle 2007). The natural production fi sheries are among the most productive in of aquatic animals in rice fi elds is estimated as the world (Baran et al 2006). Fishing has been worth at least US$100 per hectare (Hortle 2007), central to rural livelihoods in Cambodia at least compared with the value of rice production at since the times of the Angkor Empire; along US$150 per hectare. with rice farming, it holds a central place in rural livelihoods strategies and cultural practices, Overall, agriculture production in Cambodia involving 2-4 million rural people (Baran et is closely related to climatic conditions. al 2006), largely in small and medium scale Cambodian agriculture depends on weather fi shing activities. Fish and other living aquatic and rainfall, with over 80 percent rain-fed resources are enormously important for food agriculture, while dry season rice cultivation is security and nutrition, contributing up to three- done with irrigation and natural recession of fourths of animal protein in rural diets (Hortle water at the end of the fl ooding season (MAFF et al 2007). 2010, SWC 2006).

In 2009, fi sheries contributed 25.2 percent Many factors contribute to low production to agricultural sector activities and therefore levels and limited economic returns. Soil fertility

GDP growth by sector before and during the global fi nancial crisis and contributions of sectors to GDP before and during the crisis (% of total GDP)

Source: MEF, Medium-Term Macroeconomic Framework, March 2010 Update

2 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE is generally extremely low, with much of the Cambodia’s economic competitiveness argues country characterised by sandy soils (Johnston that the “only sector which will provide any et al 2009). Access to irrigation is limited, and meaningful cushion as a short-term crisis buff er questions persist with regard to the viability of and a medium-term recovery and growth engine irrigation for such soil conditions. is agriculture” (UNDP 2009).

Farmers’ access to productive assets, primarily The future of rice export land, also is extremely limited. Farmers do In the 1960s Cambodia was one of the main not have secure tenure over their land, and r landholdings are typically less than 1 hectare. ice exporters in Asia, but production declined However, studies suggest that gaining secure dramatically during the civil war. Cambodia tenure is the most important factor in reached rice self-suffi ciency in 1995 (Nesbitt improving agricultural yields (Kala, Boret and 1997), although it has only recently re-entered Kurukulasuriya 2011). the world market as a rice-exporting nation.

Weak access to support services and agricultural In the wake of the global food crisis of 2008, inputs for smallholders, as well as limited in- Cambodia hopes to replicate the successes of country agricultural processing and poor Thailand and Viet Nam in exporting rice (Radey access to markets, further limit the realisation and Bandary 2009, USDA 2010), bringing ‘white of economic benefi ts and present substantial gold’ even more prominently into national constraints to future development. Reliable development policies (RGC 2010). A recent market and crop information and weather policy paper on the promotion of paddy rice forecasting are not available. production and export of milled rice prioritises the following:

2. Policy priorities 1. Infrastructure building and enhancement 2. Improved provision of extension services The global food crisis is argued to have provided and agricultural inputs a “warning against the historical neglect of the 3. Land management reform agriculture sector” (Jalilian 2010). 4. Finance and marketing While agriculture’s share of GDP has declined 5. Expanded farmer organisations, and insti- over the last 20 years as the services and tutional building and coordination industry sectors have grown, it still remains By 2015, the country hopes to achieve a important. During the last four years of global rice surplus of 4 million tonnes, of which 1 economic, food and fuel crises, for example, million would be exported (RGC 2010). These the agriculture sector has continued to grow, ambitious plans have not yet fully addressed accounting for at least a third of GDP (MEF the challenges of either human development 2010); in the same period, the services and or of climate change. industry sectors have declined. A recent review of

CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE 3 Water for agriculture indicates the kinds of challenges faced in making irrigation work, particularly for small- The lack of access to irrigation – almost and medium-scale farmers (CEDAC 2009). universally identifi ed as the major constraint However, such small- and medium-scale to improving rice production in Cambodia irrigation systems may also face their own – is also widely identifi ed as a major factor in limitations, particularly in regard to the need farmers’ vulnerability to climate change. All for collective action of farmers, and economic climate change adaptation recommendations efficiencies for meeting export-oriented for the country refer to the need for expansion production. of irrigation, yet the case for irrigation is not clear cut. In considering the future development of irrigation, it is therefore important to consider The effi ciency of existing irrigation systems is the design of irrigation schemes, ensuring that also questionable. Major factors are related to soils are suitable and that irrigation investments weak institutional capacity of farmer groups are economically viable. Meeting irrigation and low incentives for collective action, as well needs of farmers is perhaps more likely to be as poor design of the schemes themselves. realised through smaller and medium-scale Ultimately, most irrigation schemes have been systems, developed according to local needs found to simply not be economically viable and circumstances (Hoanh et al 2009, Facon (CEDAC 2009). This kind of assessment clearly 2005).

© UNDP/Arantxa Cedillo For Cambodia, climate change is inescapably a development challenge. With huge numbers of people in the rural economy making a large contribution to national development, the question at the heart of this challenge is rural livelihoods.

4 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE 3. Projected climate Other impacts will include: change impact on • Climate change will have signifi cant impacts agriculture and its on poorer rural households, as well as the implications capacity to meet Government targets for increased rice production and export. Cambodian agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change (Mainuddin et al 2010, CISRO • A recent economic analysis suggests that 2008, ACIAR 2009, MoE 2010). The specifi c with a 1 oC rise in temperature, annual mean threats of climate change for agriculture net revenue falls. The study also points out include: the main factor in agricultural productivity • Changes in rainfall patterns. Predictions as being security of land tenure (Kala, Boret and Kurukulasuriya 2011, Johnston suggest that wet seasons will be shorter, et al 2009, Peng et al 2004). Impact on rice but with higher levels of rainfall, while dry yield is predicted to be signifi cant. MoE seasons will be longer and drier. This will (2010) shows rice yields will decrease under result in shifts in the distribution of rainfall both high and low emission scenarios, and between areas. The changes to the length will continue to decrease within a range of of seasons, combined with the delayed 20-70 percent of current production based onset of the wet season after a longer dry on diff erent seasons and scenarios. season, will aff ect traditional cropping practices. • Current agricultural techniques may not be able t • Floods and droughts are major infl uences o cope with increased salinity that is predicted for coastal areas. on rice production in Cambodia. MoE (2010) records areas of rice crop that have • Increased incidence of livestock disease, been aff ected by fl oods and drought in largely associated with lack of water and various years (see table below). Such events grazing land and the long distance to happen with some regularity, and fl oods water sources for livestock. Because larger and droughts can occur in the same year livestock are an important investment and (for example, 1996 and 2002). The period means of savings for farmers, these kinds of 2000-2002 also saw three consecutive years impacts can have serious consequences. of signifi cant fl ooding. They push people into debt and reduce their fi nancial safety nets, which exposes Floods Drought them to an inability to access cash when Year Area (ha) Year Area (ha) faced with other crises. 1984 400,000 1991 200,000 1995 150,000 1994 250,000 • Increased incidence of pests and disease. 1996 450,000 1996 400,000 Changes in temperature, rainfall, seasonal 2000 400,000 1997 430,000 patterns and changing length of the 2001 200,000 2002 150,000 growing season (and ecological systems) 2002 100,000 2004 300,000

CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE 5 have the potential to increase the threat There is an urgent need to address some of to agriculture of pests and disease. the outstanding issues in the agriculture sector Temperature increases may speed up related to insecure access to land, as well as a growth rates of crop pathogens and more comprehensive approach to integrated increase reproductive generations per crop management of land and water resources to cycle, making the crop more vulnerable. ensure soil conservation and water effi ciency.

Increased CO2 levels could enhance the Key policy priorities include: competitiveness of some weed species. • Improving land titling and tenure for farmers. • Cambodian capture fi sheries are especially • Improving extension services, access to vulnerable to the changes in temperature

and hydrological fl ows that are associated inputs and markets. Government agencies with climate change. Such changes could struggle to meet farmer demand and face have signifi cant impacts on migration, their own limitations in terms of capacity breeding and spawning patterns while and funding. Non-governmental organi- also adding pressure to critical fi sheries sations and the private sector already habitats – fl ooded forests in the Tonle Sap, play an infl uential role in providing fl oodplains and deep pools in the major extension services and inputs. Innovative river systems. models – such as Farmer Business Advisors – also have considerable potential.

4. Actions for building • Strengthening existing community-based resilient agricultural adaptation (CBA), through existing agri- livelihoods cultural groups, such as farmers’ organi- sations, farmer water user committees, Building resilient agricultural livelihoods will trade associations, Community Fisheries require addressing both governance and and Community Forestry. institutional dimensions, and promoting appropriate technological solutions. • Increased cultivated areas and cultivation seasons The threat of climate change may require a review of current policies and practices Low-carbon agriculture regarding land use, water demand and management, extension practices and issues Building climate-resilient agriculture means surrounding access to land and natural both reducing the vulnerability of farmers and resource management. It is essential that the sector as a whole, while also promoting farmers, both men and women, are able to low-carbon agriculture. Such low-carbon engage fully in these critical debates on policy agriculture hinges on techniques that can and management. reduce farm emissions; conserve and improve soil fertility and reduce the need for tillage; give Policy options preference to locally available organic inputs

6 CLIMATE CHANGE AND AGRICULTURE over imported chemical inputs; promote 5. Summary effi cient management and use of water resources; reduce energy and fuel demand, Given the central importance of agriculture, for example, for pumping irrigation water and particularly rice, for rural livelihoods in Cambodia for transport; and integrate crop and animal and national economic development, any farming systems. impacts on production will have far-reaching implications, most notably for the poor. Even Low-carbon agriculture methods include: with rising levels of production and rice exports • Small- and medium-scale irrigation and (RGC 2010), the number of people considered improved local water access/use (e.g. food-insecure remains high. In this regard, drip irrigation) climate change will have a huge impact on rural livelihoods. To cope with climate change, • Use of climate-resilient crop varieties farmers’ ability to make decisions and their confi dence need to be strengthened through • System of Rice Intensifi cation and integrated provision of appropriate technology, skills and farming systems information support and strengthening of • Crop insurance and weather forecasting their access to key assets, most critically, land and water. Ultimately, this also requires a more • Improved access to quality inputs such as eff ective, participatory mechanism for planning fertiliser to increase productivity, techniques and management of land and water resources. and seed

© UNDP/Arantxa Cedillo In the wake of the global food crisis of 2008, Cambodia hopes to replicate the successes of Thailand and Viet Nam in exporting rice bringing ‘white gold’ even more prominently into national development policies.

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