An agriculture ministry job fair at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in December 2023. Agriculture Ministry
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is set to host a three-day exhibition on greenfield agriculture and food from February 16-18 at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Phnom Penh.
The event aims to showcase the potential of domestic products and encourage public support for Cambodian agricultural goods.
Ministry spokesperson Im Rachna said on February 7 that this would be the ministry’s second greenfield event, with the first having been held last year at the ministry’s headquarters.
“We invite the public to view the range of Khmer agricultural products, in both their unprocessed and processed forms. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience the evolving flavour and quality of the products,” she said.
Rachna emphasised that the sector’s current success owes much to the robust support from various stakeholders, including farmers, producers, growers, investment partners and processing enterprises.
She noted that numerous organisations have collaborated with the ministry, providing technical support to both officials and farmers.
“We have been striving to enhance the quality of Cambodian agricultural products and ensure environmental and economic sustainability. Looking ahead, we aspire to introduce high-quality products to more markets, improving the livelihoods of our farmers and elevating the status of Cambodian products internationally,” she explained.
Sok Kimchhin, dean of RUA’s Faculty of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development and coordinator of the exhibition, noted that the university, with the ministry’s backing, is organising the show, featuring nearly 80 booths from enterprises, agricultural communities, institutes, universities and private firms.
“We hope to draw public attention to our products, enhancing their understanding of what constitutes good, safe and organic agricultural goods. The exhibition aims to facilitate market connections for community products, as well as for students, teachers and companies,” he added.
Lor Bunna, director of the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), confirmed the organisation’s participation in the upcoming event, where they will present their latest rice varieties.
“We intend to familiarise farmers and other stakeholders with our production and products, particularly our varieties which have been recognised as the world’s best rice,” he said.
Bunna said the institute consistently promotes top-quality rice cultivars in supermarkets and introduces them for trial sales to raise awareness. He added that following public recognition of the product’s taste and quality, the group encourages private enterprises to undertake formal sales.
