Agriculture census unveiled, to the delight of the industry

21 August 2014

Measuring in detail the country’s largest sector in terms of household engagement, the government yesterday revealed the results of the first-ever Agricultural Census.

The 33-page report states that 2.2 million out of a possible 2.6 million or 85 per cent of all households are engaged in some form of agricultural-related activity, such as growing rice, raising livestock, fishing or extracting rubber. Of that number, the census states that 1.9 million households are officially considered to have agriculture “holdings”, meaning they have at least two large livestock or three small livestock or 25 poultry or land equal to 300 square metres. Prey Veng province accounted for the largest share of agricultural holdings at 10.5%, followed by Takeo and Kampong Speu provinces. While at the other end of the scale, the quiet coastal province of Kep accounted for the lowest percentage of agriculture-engaged households with just 0.3%.

In total, the census estimates there to be 3.1 million hectares of agricultural land spread throughout the country. This figure does not include land held under economic land concessions, the minister of planning. While Cambodia’s agricultural sector contributed some 31.6% to the country’s total GDP or $15.25 billion in 2013, doing business is seemingly not on the minds of most households engaged in the sector. According to the preliminary census results, 73% of all agriculture-related households operate only to serve home consumption, leaving 27% who are reportedly selling their crops and livestock.

Agricultural-engaged households were also recorded as housing 472,000 buffalo, 1.4 million pigs, 2.7 million cattle, 28 million chickens, 5 million ducks and a few thousand goats. The survey covered all 24 provinces and five selected districts in Phnom Penh between April and June last year and was welcomed by industry insiders who said the comprehensive study will assist researchers and policy makers to make future decisions about the industry.

But gathering the information across 2.6 million households was not without its challenges. Funding for the census, which cost more than $5.5 million to complete, was provided by the Government, AusAid, the Swedish International Development Agency, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organsiation and USAID. A full version of the Agriculture Census is expected to be released December this year.

Source:

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/business/agriculture-census-unveiled-delight-industry