Experts from Well-known Chinese University to Boost Cambodia Rice-Fish Farming

• 15 May 2024
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Aiming to bolster rice-fish and rice-shrimp farming in Cambodia, a research team from Shanghai Ocean University concluded an investigative and training visit to the country, contributing to the development of the Fish and Rice Corridor between China and Cambodia, as reported by China Daily on 13 May 2024.

“Cambodia boasts a rice cultivation area of 3.3 million hectares. However, the area used for freshwater pond aquaculture is only 1,350 hectares, leading to insufficient supply and high market prices of aquatic products such as giant freshwater prawns and tilapia. There is huge potential in the two nations’ cooperation in the Fish and Rice Corridor,” stated Wu Xugan, leader of the research team and professor at the School of Aquatic and Life Sciences at Shanghai Ocean University.

During their visit from 21 to 27 April, the team visited various regions, conducted in-depth investigations, and held promotional events and technical training courses to better understand local conditions and assist farmers in enhancing their rice-fish farming skills.

Collaborating with Thay Somony, Director of the Department of Aquaculture Development at Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, the research team visited three rice-shrimp farming demonstration bases in Takeo province. They provided on-site training to over 30 farmers.

Wu noted the differences in rice-fish farming practices between Cambodia and China due to climate, landscape, production conditions, and the lack of infrastructure such as reservoirs.

“Unlike the synchronised rice-fish farming pattern in China, many places in Cambodia can cultivate either rice or fish only during dry and rainy seasons, as they lack reservoirs to regulate water usage and face risks from droughts and floods,” Wu explained. “The small scale of aquaculture, typically family-operated farms, along with underdeveloped skills and a lack of a complete industrial chain, results in low productivity and high fish feed costs.”

Despite these challenges, the research team is committed to aiding Cambodian farmers in developing rice-fish farming. “We learned more about the local conditions during the visit,” Wu said. “We will start with optimisation efforts to help locals protect fishery resources, then expand to large-scale rice-fish farming and pond aquaculture practices in the future.”

The China-Cambodia joint communiqué released in September emphasised the acceleration of the corridor’s construction to enhance bilateral agricultural trade. The cooperation focuses on aquaculture, agro-processing, ecological agriculture, modern machinery, new agricultural technology, and human resources.

From 2021 to 2023, the team executed a project in Cambodia focusing on technical cooperation in rice-fish farming and poverty reduction through aquaculture in the Lancang-Mekong River region. This recent visit was a continuation of that project, expanded this year to include cultivating local talent.

• Agriculture and Aquaculture Project