A national strategy for enhancing seed quality and production was presented to the public last week.
The plan was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and outlines a set of initiatives to improve the production and marketing of seeds, particularly rice and other major crops.
The strategy calls for the establishment of a number of regulatory bodies, including the Department of Seed Management, the National Seed Council, and the National Variety Release Committee. It also envisions the creation of various capacity building and training programmes.
It is seen as an important step in regulating and standardising the seed industry, with officials saying this will help protect farmers and the seed market.
Minister of Agriculture Veng Sakhon said the strategy will serve as a guideline on how to deal with production and market concerns.
“The Kingdom of Cambodia is pleased to introduce the national seed strategy,” he said.
“We thank IRRI for lending their expertise to help us develop comprehensive and integrated systems for seed production and distribution, which will greatly benefit Cambodian farmers by improving access to high-quality seeds,” Mr Sakhon said.
Tong Chan Theang, executive director of the Cambodia Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture (CEDAC), said the policy will boost the agriculture sector.
“The strategy will help us develop not only climate resilient seeds, but also the seeds that the market demands,” he said.