Rice alone accounted for 13.89 million tonnes of the crop sub-sector last year, with an export surplus of 8.2 million tonnes. Post staff
Cambodia is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation in its agricultural sector. New data from the 2023 Census of Agriculture Cambodia (CAC) reveals a 13 per cent (280,000 households) decline in the number of agricultural households compared to 2013, even as the average landholding size has grown.
This structural shift — marked by fewer, larger farms — signals the country’s transition from subsistence agriculture to a more commercial, technology-enabled farming model.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina addressed a launch ceremony for the upcoming Cambodian Agricultural Forum and Exhibition 2025 (CAFÉ 2025) on the morning of April 7. He noted that while the agricultural sector has grown steadily since 2013, its pace remains slower compared to the industrial and service sectors.
“Our goal is not to trap anyone in the agricultural sector,” he said.
“We want our people to have a good life, to be able to take up the jobs they like, love and want,” he added.
He emphasised the importance of modernisation in agriculture, suggesting that it may be a key reason the labour force has shifted toward other sectors.
Agriculture minister Dith Tina launched the Cambodian Agricultural Forum and Exhibition 2025 (CAFÉ 2025) on the morning of April 7. Hong Raksmey
Recalling past challenges, the minister said that cultivating even five hectares of rice used to be difficult.
“How many hectares could be done in a day with a bullock cart — planting, transplanting, harvesting and threshing?” he asked.
Today, he noted, machines have replaced much of that manual labour, enabling a single farmer to cultivate up to 100 hectares.
This trend is not only expected but essential, as Cambodia sets its sights on becoming a lower-middle income country by 2030 and a middle-income country by 2050.
“We are seeing clear evidence of structural change in Cambodia’s rural economy. The agriculture sector is modernising. This is a necessary step in our national development strategy,” said Rin Virak, chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Institute of Statistics (NIS), during the release of the census findings.
According to the census, conducted by the NIS in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, and with technical support from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 1.85 million households were identified as agricultural in 2023 — down from 2.13 million in 2013.
Despite this drop, the agricultural value-added increased from 19,501.1 billion riel in 2013 to 29,721.1 billion in 2023.
The CAFÉ 2025 launch event was well attended. Supplied
“Agriculture may contribute a smaller share to GDP today — 16.6% in 2024 compared to 24.4% a decade ago — but in absolute terms, its value has grown significantly,” Virak explained.
“The shift to more productive, efficient farms is driving that growth,” he added.
Nor Vanndy, NIS director-general and technical lead on the survey, explained that the data shows farmers are moving away from traditional subsistence farming.
“We are seeing fewer people in agriculture, but more productivity per farm. That is the path toward commercialisation,” he noted.
“Land consolidation is occurring, and farmers are adopting more high-value crops like aromatic rice, cashew and mangos,” he added.
According to the CAC, cash crop planting has increased across all regions, and aromatic rice now accounts for 465,000 hectares of planted area.
Permanent crops such as mango, coconut, banana, and cashew have become widespread, with strong regional preferences shaping agricultural zones.
However, the modernisation push is not without obstacles. Only 15% of agricultural land is irrigated, and just 21% of households report access to irrigation — despite 48% of villages experiencing drought and 39% affected by floods in the five years prior to the census.
CAFE25 has been strategically designed to meet Cambodia’s specific context... while improving the ease of doing business for Cambodia's agri-food businesses and modern agricultural communities. Post staff
“We can’t reach our development goals without addressing these infrastructure gaps,” Vanndy warned.
“Irrigation, access to technology, and sustainable practices are key to long-term resilience,” he added.
As part of its strategic direction for agricultural development, the agriculture ministry has outlined several key priorities.
A $100 million Marketability and Price Stability Programme has been launched to stabilise prices and enhance the market reach of priority agricultural products.
“1,600 Commune Agricultural Officers (CAOs) will be deployed nationwide to provide direct support and extension services to farmers,” noted Tina.
The government is also promoting the development of Modern Agricultural Cooperatives (MACs), which focus on market-driven production planning, land aggregation for better economies of scale and the adoption of modern equipment to reduce costs, increase productivity and improve overall profitability.
The government is betting on robust data to guide Cambodia’s transition. The CAC and the annual CAS, which surveys up to 17,000 households each year, are now central tools for policy design, investment planning, and sustainable development monitoring.
Rebekah Bell, FAO representative in Cambodia, described the upcoming CAFE25, to be held in November, as “the most ambitious event that FAO Cambodia has been associated with in our long history in Cambodia.”
Speaking at the launch, she emphasised that modernization is at the heart of the initiative.
“CAFE25 has been strategically designed to meet Cambodia’s specific context... while improving the ease of doing business for Cambodia's agri-food businesses and modern agricultural communities,” she noted.
Under the leadership of the agriculture ministry, CAFE25 aims to develop nine key agricultural value chain investment plans and attract significant domestic and international investment to accelerate Cambodia’s agri-food system transformation.
Tina reported that the ministry has established nine modern agricultural communities in six provinces, focusing on rice, vegetables, cashews and pepper, while also working with partner banks to offer low-interest loans.
He noted that the crop sub-sector led the agricultural economy in 2024, contributing 61% with 39.4 million tonnes of produce — up 2.59 million tonnes from last year. Rice alone accounted for 13.89 million tonnes, ensuring national food security and an export surplus of 8.2 million tonnes.
“We are becoming increasingly resilient to climate change,” he said, citing improved farming techniques, better inputs and the wider use of machinery.
