La production de riz au Cambodge fait face à plusieurs défis qui menacent directement le revenu des petits exploitants et l'environnement. En effet, la course à la productivité a mené à une large adoption de semences de riz modernes au détriment de semences traditionnelles qui ont une meilleure tolérance à la sécheresse, de meilleures qualités nutritionnelles and même une meilleure saveur.
Il est estimé que cette focalisation sur la productivité ont mené à la perte de 75% des variétés traditionnelles du Cambodge qui possèdent des caractéristiques uniques et de grande valeur.
A travers cette initiative, nous soutenons le travail de coopératives de semences de riz et des organisations paysannes qui travaillent à la réhabilitation de ces semences traditionnelles.
It is essential to strengthen the organisational capacities of local seed producing cooperatives and farmer organisations to accelerate the uptake of local rice varieties. By enhancing the knowledge, learning, and organisational skills of these groups, farmers can better understand the benefits of traditional varieties and how to integrate them into their farming systems.
The initiative focuses on increasing the commercialisation of traditional farmers rice seeds in Cambodia by supporting a specialised cooperative, Camseed, which will not only work on production but also take the necessary steps to develop the market and increase demand for these seeds. The cooperative will begin by increasing production of 3 traditional species, supporting 360 seed producers who will benefit over 10,000 rice farmers living in poverty.
Under this initiative, FFORA is supporting the Asian Farmers Association for sustainable rural development (AFA) representing 12 million smallholder farmers across 16 countries.
AFA on their side is providing support to their national member in Cambodia, the Farmer and Nature Net Association and one of the local cooperative of their network, Camseed.
The Asian Farmers Association for sustainable rural development will also organise three exchange visits to Camseed with farmers organisations from Laos specifically focused on strengthening seed cooperatives.
In addition, AFA will build capacity of their members throughout South East Asia by setting up exchanges with rice seed producer organisations with members from Timor Leste, Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar.
