Rice yields under the Srov Met Kriel project rose by 42 per cent in 2024, following a transition to organic fertilisers. The shift aligns with the push by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries for farmers to adopt organic practices, enhancing both profitability and environmental sustainability.

A total of 370 tonnes of rice grown under the project were harvested across 143 hectares near the Anlong Pring Protected Landscape in Kampot province’s Kampong Trach district. This represents a significant increase compared to the 260 tonnes harvested in 2023, according to NatureLife Cambodia director Bou Vorsak.

“We’ve seen higher yields on roughly the same amount of land. Farmers participating in the project for three or four years have reported a considerable improvement in soil quality after reducing chemical use,” Vorsak explained.

“Organic fertilisers have enriched the soil, enabling farmers to harvest up to 2.5 tonnes per hectare,” he added. 

The project includes 120 farming households cultivating rice varieties such as Sambak Ka Tem and Pong Lor Lork, which are preferred by the threatened sarus crane (Antigone antigone) – the tallest flying bird in the world – known as kriel in Khmer. They feed on the rice, phlong grass tubers and insects in the fields.

Participants must comply with 12 key conditions designed to benefit both farmers and the cranes. These include reducing chemical fertilisers by 30 per cent and pesticides by 15 per cent per hectare. Farmers must also grow crane-preferred rice on feeding grounds, leaving at least five per cent of the rice unharvested for the birds, and refrain from activities such as poaching, illegal fishing, expanding farmland into conservation areas and burning harvested fields.

He added that rice sold to traders typically fetches only 960 riel ($0.24) per kilogramme, but farmers participating in the project benefit from premium prices. First-year enrollees earn five per cent above market rates, while those in their third or fourth years earn 7.5 per cent or more, provided they meet the project requirements.

“The project aims to build a long-term partnership with farmers, gradually improving soil quality to benefit both the cranes and the local community,” he said.

Beyond increased yields, project participants receive additional benefits such as free seeds during the first two years, organic fertilisers equivalent to 30 per cent of the chemical fertilisers they replaced and training in modern agricultural techniques.

Two sarus cranes (Antigone antigone) roam grassland near a protected area. NatureLife Cambodia

A 2024 survey recorded 180 sarus cranes in Cambodia, up from 156 in 2022. The project was initiated in response to the deaths of 10 cranes in 2018, which were linked to pesticide poisoning.

“The excessive use of chemicals in agriculture likely caused the cranes’ deaths. This tragedy inspired the creation of the Met Kriel project, which ensures that farmers can still prosper while protecting the cranes,” he added.

The agriculture ministry is actively promoting organic fertiliser use across the country. Senior ministry officials recently inspected production facilities in provinces including Kampong Speu, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Kampong Thom.

The ministry emphasised that locally produced organic fertilisers deliver numerous advantages, including reduced production costs, increased farmer profits, enhanced soil health, better sanitation and a lower environmental impact.

Husk Ventures, an international company operating in Kampong Thom, exported 300 tonnes of organic fertiliser to Vietnam in 2024 and plans to increase exports to 2,000 tonnes in 2025.

The company is also expanding both domestic and international markets, with a goal of producing 10,000 tonnes of organic fertiliser annually by 2025, supported by new equipment, according to the ministry.

The ministry reiterated its encouragement for farmers to reduce dependence on imported chemical fertilisers by shifting to locally made organic alternatives, pledging additional support to domestic producers to meet growing demand from farmers and markets.