Agriculture remains the backbone of Cambodia’s economic growth, with rice production continuing to dominate the sector, according to Ngin Chhay, director of Cambodia’s General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA).

As the years have passed, the Kingdom’s farmers have transitioned from using animals for farming to operating two-wheel “walking” tractors, usually powered by fossil fuels. 

To keep pace with the demands of the modern era, these vehicles will soon be upgraded with electric motors to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

The integration of precision agriculture technology, such as smart weeding, targeted spraying and crop intelligence sensing will also help farmers apply resources more efficiently, reducing waste and improving crop yields.

The future of farming in Cambodia is being shaped by cutting-edge technology with Australian researchers working on electrifying small-scale farming equipment and integrating smart farming tools. 

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) is investing A$6 million ($3.6 million) to improve smallholder farming in Cambodia through mechanisation and sustainable soil management.

Through a collaborative project led by the University of Sydney and supported by ACIAR, new two-wheeled tractors are being developed with electric engines and precision agriculture technology to increase farming efficiency and sustainability.

Agricultural machinery travels though a plantation in Oral district. Post staff

Salah Sukkarieh, project leader from the University of Sydney, described the potential of these innovations.

“This advancement will enable the incorporation of smart tools into tractors, enhancing applications like smart weeding, targeted spraying and crop intelligence sensing,” he said.

Chhay explained the focus of the ongoing collaboration with the Australian experts.

“It's called Electrification and Smart Mechanisation of Two-Wheel Tractors. This one is led by the University of Sydney,” he noted, during the February 3 launch of the project.

He said the innovative project will enhance the efficiency and sustainability of small-scale farming, addressing current pressing concerns, especially a shortage of labour, energy inefficiency and environmental impacts, while promoting gender equity through labour-saving technology.

“The project is very important because at the moment, when it comes to agriculture, everybody's talking about mechanisation,” he continued, adding “We're also talking about digitalisation.”

With rapid adoption of mobile and drone technologies, the investment aligns with Cambodia’s National Agriculture Development Policy 2022–2030 and the Agri-Tech Roadmap, reinforcing the country’s commitment to modernising its agricultural sector.

A key feature of the project is its focus on gender equity. As ACIAR CEO Professor Wendy Umberge explained, mechanisation has the potential to ease the burden on women in agriculture by reducing the physical labour required for tasks such as weeding and irrigation. 

“This makes it easier for women to participate in farming while promoting a more equitable distribution of labour across the sector,” she said.

Yorn Try, deputy director-general of the GDA, noted that the electrification of small tractors, alongside the adoption of precision agriculture technology, presents a transformative opportunity for the Cambodian agriculture sector. 

Diesel powered tractors cause greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. 

“If we electrify them, especially in connection with solar recharging, we can potentially alleviate this emission problem, as well as have a positive impact on the health of farmers,” said Try. 

However, he pointed out a major issue in the sector: challenges in processing and exporting Cambodian rice to international markets.

While rice production is stable, the government is also focusing on improving vegetable cultivation to reduce reliance on imports. 

“At the moment, we are not producing enough vegetables to meet local consumption needs. For example, carrots, tomatoes and Chinese cabbage are sometimes in short supply,” he noted. 

The government has devised a strategy to boost vegetable production, aiming to reduce imports and enhance food safety standards.

Industrial crops such as cassava, cashew nuts and corn are also key priorities. Cambodia produces approximately 14 to 15 million tonnes of cassava a year, making it the most significant industrial crop. 

However, much of it is sold raw to neighbouring countries, with only 10-15% processed domestically. 

“We need to improve downstream processing to create more value-added products within the country,” Chhay explained.

The same issue affects cashew nuts and corn, with as much as 90 per cent of the Kingdom’s cashews exported raw to Vietnam.