The project, funded by Japan and coordinated by the World Food Program (WFP), is changing lives in communities affected by climate change.
“When my crops depended on rain, it was like making a contract with the weather. I tried my best, but God didn’t send the water on time, and my crops were ruined. But when there were canals, it was different because the canals always had water. The rest depended on our efforts,” says farmer Duy. Sok, a canal built in 2022 as part of a World Food Programme-supported project in Sambour commune, Kampong Thom province.
It was midday when the sun shone down on the rice fields stretching as far as the eye could see, awash in gold, silver and pink. Farmer Doeu Sok stood at the edge of the canal, gazing lovingly at his one-hectare plot of land as rice seeds began to emerge from the water.
“I am so happy to see my crops turning green,” the farmer said. I take care of my crops like I would my own children. These crops are susceptible to damage when they are just starting to grow.
Often in the past, his crops would wither when there was not enough water or be flooded when there was too much water. He continued, “This situation makes me very sad.”
The 2.3-kilometer canal, funded by the Japanese government, has the capacity to irrigate 143 hectares of rice fields, benefiting 128 people. Family.
Local official Tuan Chin explained that climate change in recent years has caused a series of unpredictable droughts and floods, which have caused disaster for farmers who rely on rain-fed agriculture.
Being able to pump water from the canal has reduced farmers’ reliance on rain. As a result, their yields have more than doubled. “In the past two years, despite the drought, we still have some water,” he said. The crops are not damaged like before. It is a success for us.”
Farmer Dueu Sok can now plant rice twice a year, regardless of the season. “Now I have enough to eat and I don’t have to buy rice from others,” he says. His wife, Phat No, recalls the difficult times before the canals: “The money we borrowed to farm became a debt we couldn’t repay. My two sons and my husband had to go to work in Phnom Penh to earn a living.”
Currently He no longer needs to go to the city to find work.
The couple live in a small wooden house not far from the rice fields. Because the storm blew off the tin roof, they no longer dare to sleep upstairs and prefer to live under the house. “The weather is not like before. Rain, wind, thunder, lightning, it’s like the weather that God is angry with.”
The impact is getting worse
With agriculture accounting for 30 percent of Cambodia’s gross domestic product, actions to reduce the impact of weather events on agricultural productivity have an impact on economic growth.
This is why The World Food Programme (WFP) is working with national and local authorities in 16 communes across four provinces to build local capacity to adapt to climate change and support investments in climate-resilient infrastructure. WFP is raising awareness of climate-related issues among local public officials and improving the flow of information, weather and agricultural seasons to farmers.
Mr. Meng Chanthoeun, WFP’s Climate Project Coordinator for Cambodia, said: “We have a facilitating role, but it is the community that chooses which infrastructure projects to implement, through a consultation process established by the government.”
The projects are included in the local authority’s multi-year investment/development plan.
Once the project is approved, local engineers conduct feasibility studies, including environmental assessments.
In Sambour commune, the community has identified two main priorities: irrigation and transportation. For this reason, when the canals are built, The rice fields were extended so they could serve as a road.
Each morning, as he rode his bicycle along the canal, Du Sok stopped to cast his net for fish. This time of year, one of his jobs was to cut the grass along the edge of his plot so that rats wouldn’t hide and damage the rice fields or eat the grass. “My family’s livelihood depends on this,” he said, “and I just want to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
At sunset He went back to check the net again. “This area is rich in fish, and there are many types of fish in this canal,” he said. His wife was skilled at skinning, deboning, and preparing fish sauce. “Some days I catch more than I need, so I sell these fish to my neighbors,” said farmer Dueu Sok. The money I get from selling fish is used to buy essential food. and other daily necessities.
While the couple still rely on the money their two eldest sons send home to buy their daily necessities, farming twice a year and catching fish in the canals have changed their lives.
Deu Sok said: “I’m not afraid of hard work, but I am afraid of uncertainty. When there are canals, we can predict how much we will produce and whether it is worth our efforts. I believe in my efforts. When I work hard, “I got better results.”
WFP
