BATTAMBANG: On the morning of Monday, 24 October, the people of Battambang province expressed their happiness and thanks to Prime Minister Hun Sen for providing food donations and seeds to help them rehabilitate their livelihoods after floods left their crop fields devastated.

Nop Theary, a resident of Kork village, Ampil 5 Deum commune, Bavel district, Battambang province, said that the area where she lived was severely affected by recent flooding, which caused her rice crops to become almost completely submerged in water. However, on this day, she expressed her happiness and thanks to the Prime Minister for providing donations and seeds to the people who survived the floods.

"Thank you very much. I do not know what to say. I saw [the Prime Minister] for the first time and I have never met him in person, only seen him on TV, so I am very happy to meet him!" she said.

Soy Phoeut, 62, is a farmer also from Bavel district, who said that for more than a month now, three out of five hectares of his rice fields have been affected by floods and almost completely damaged. However, he said that the donations and rice seeds received from the Prime Minister will help to lessen the suffering of people like him who were badly affected by the floods. He expressed his thanks to the Royal Government of Cambodia for the attention given to his community.

"I’m feeling happy! [The donations and rice seeds] help lessen some of our hardships for a while. [I want to] thank the Prime Minister too, thank him for helping the people in need," he said.

Soy Phoeut added that he would quickly sow the received rice seeds because they are hydrated, and he expects it to take around three months or more to fully harvest the rice.

Hing, 42, also from Bavel district, shared that she had more than 10 hectares of rice and potato fields completely damaged by floods, but not only in this year. She said that she has suffered against flooding for three years now. However, with the newly received rice seeds, she said she felt happy and would sow them as soon as the water level has receded.

"I'm happy!... Yes! It may seem that now [the water is receding], so I can restart [planting] again," she said.

Another resident of Bavel district, 58-year-old Chhim Chuon, said that most of the people affected by the floods and who had severe damage done to their rice fields were locals to the area. He added that even though his fields have been impacted, he will still continue to try farming in the area.

Nop Theary also similarly said she would not give up, even though the floods had inundated her fields for some time and caused her much hardship.

"I am not giving up (growing rice), I will persevere!" she said. "Some people sow the seeds, as for me I plant some, and sometimes if I do not have enough time, I will sow as well."

These farmers have all expressed their happiness and thanks to Prime Minister Hun Sen for the donations and rice seeds that were given to them. While most mentioned facing similar hardships during the floods, including ruined crops and financial problems, all these citizens still continue to stand strong and said that they will not give up farming.

Speaking at the distribution of rice seeds and food to more than 10,000 families in Battambang province on Monday morning, the Prime Minister said that so far, 20 out of 25 provinces in Cambodia have been affected by floods.

However, the Prime Minister continues to encourage the people affected by the floods not to give up and to try and find solutions to the problems and many difficulties they are facing, while the government also continues to actively look for solutions to these problems.

The Prime Minister has urged the Minister of Agriculture, Dith Tina, to find ways to produce local rice seeds and encourage the private sector to participate in organizing farmers and prepare potential solutions to ongoing agricultural problems.

After receiving an order from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture, Dith Tina, sent the Director General of Agriculture, Ngin Chhay, to Battambang province to find out about the problems farmers are facing so that the Ministry can help form solutions.

Recent floods in Battambang province caused by heavy rain have affected 14 districts and a total of 29,384 families, of which a total of 1,051 families were evacuated. A total of 29,384 houses have been affected by flooding, while 32 houses, 76 schools, six health centers, 19 pagodas, and four public administration buildings were damaged as well.