Many water sources are drying up as farmers rush to pump water into dry rice fields. STPM
At least 30,000 hectares of dry-season rice across eight provinces are currently affected by water shortages, but as of January 23 the authorities were actively pumping water to mitigate the issue and prevent any damage, according to the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).
NCDM spokesperson Soth Kimkolmony explained that the eight affected provinces are Kratie, Kampong Thom, Prey Veng, Kandal, Takeo, Banteay Meanchey, Tbong Khmum and Svay Rieng.
“Among the affected areas, nearly 20,000 hectares have already been irrigated. To date, none of the dry-season rice has been damaged,” he said.
The NCDM is closely monitoring irrigation situation for dry-season rice. Senior Minister Kun Kim, first vice-chair of the NCDM, is coordinating with government institutions and local authorities to expedite emergency response efforts, including pumping water to affected rice fields.
Prime Minister Hun Manet emphasised on his official social media that the government is standing by farmers and will continue to intervene as necessary. In addition to assisting with market access and stabilising rice prices for farmers, the government is actively working to pump water to save fields, ensuring no crops are lost.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries and the NCDM, along with local authorities and stakeholders, are collaborating to implement targeted interventions within their respective jurisdictions.
“Relevant ministries, institutions, authorities and stakeholders will continue pumping water to rescue farmers' dry-season rice fields until there is no longer a need,” said the prime minister, in a January 23 post.
Among the affected rice fields, 1,273 hectares are in Kratie province. The provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology is currently pumping water to the fields. As of now, dry-season rice cultivation in Kratie has reached 16,436 hectares, achieving 100.03 per cent of the planned 16,430 hectares.
Kimkolmony noted that drought during the dry season and the transitional period in 2024 affected 119,465 hectares of rice fields in 17 provinces. Banteay Meanchey province was the most impacted, with nearly 50,000 hectares affected. Of the affected rice fields, 88,930 hectares were saved through intervention, while over 30,000 hectares were damaged. Additionally, 9,758 hectares of mixed crops were also affected.
In 2024, floods caused by heavy rains and the overflow of the Mekong River also impacted over 50,000 hectares of rice fields across 22 provinces, with more than 28,000 hectares damaged. Nearly 60,000 households and over 20,000 homes were affected, and 27 people lost their lives.
