Water resources minister Thor Chetha (pointing) leads an inspection tour of an irrigation system in Pursat province earlier this month. Water resources ministry
A total of seven new farmer water user communities (FWUCs) will be established in 2025, bringing the total number across the Kingdom to almost 600. This initiative aims to enhance efficiency and encourage farmers to take ownership of water management and usage, especially during the dry season, when water shortages are a challenge.
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology has established 577 FWUCs nationwide as of 2024. In 2024 alone, the Ministry created 7 new communities and conducted technical inspections and support for 177 existing communities. This information was shared by the water resources minister Thor Chetha, during a January 13 meeting.
In 2025, the Ministry plans to establish 7 more new communities, including 1 in Pursat, 2 in Kampong Chhnang, 2 in Kampong Speu, and 2 in Kampong Thom. The ministry’s technical teams will also continue inspections and offer support for 185 FWUCs across the country.
The FWUCs were formed to serve the collective benefit of citizens through the efficient and sustainable use of irrigation systems. They aim to improve the livelihoods of citizens and promote the agricultural sector, in line with the government’s policies on water resource management.
The minister explained that the meeting marked the start of a campaign to spread awareness and strengthen these communities, one of the ministry’s core responsibilities.
“As the authority which is responsible for managing water and meteorological resources, we play a key role in educating citizens about the available water resources for use in agriculture and daily life,” he said.
He added that in previous years, during the dry season, the ministry had informed citizens through a unified policy about the need to use water wisely. It also requested that citizens avoid planting a second or third crop, which could lead to water shortages and negatively impact their yields.
The ministry has also begun clearer and more specific communication in 2025, with clearer evidence provided to the public. Provincial water resource departments have mapped water availability and developed plans for irrigation and daily water use to ensure better management at the grassroots level.
Bun Hor, director of the Takeo department, reported that the province has 130 irrigation systems. Of these, 58 are capable of supporting rice cultivation for the 2024-2025 dry season, covering 83,550 hectares for first-season rice or water drainage rice. There are 64 systems for daily use and 8 systems that are not suitable for water retention.
He noted that in previous years, during the dry season, the ministry advised citizens and local authorities to conserve water, as rainfall and river levels were low. It recommended that only one crop of rice be planted, to avoid shortages.
However, some citizens continued to increase their rice cultivation beyond what was sustainable with the available resources. For instance, in Banteay Meanchey, the provincial department recommended planting rice on 16,000 hectares, but farmers cultivated rice on up to 90,000 hectares.
In Pursat province, water resources were only able to supply farmers for 20,000 hectares, but the area cultivated had grown to 58,770 hectares.
Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, met with a community of farmers in in Kampong Speu province on January 13. He warned them that some people were exploiting the situation for political gain due to falling rice prices and water shortages during the dry season.
“When we told them that there was not enough water, they pushed people to continue planting, and then they would shout that no one should stop the planting,” he said.
“In reality, it was not a ban, but a warning that water was running out, and they didn’t listen. Those who encouraged excessive rice planting also shouted when rice prices fell,” he added.
