PURSAT: Secretary of State and spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Net Pheaktra, confirmed that the Ministry of Environment and partner organizations have jointly established the Asian Elephant Organic Crop Project, which is located in the protected area of Phchek Chrum village in Pursat province. The project aims to improve relations between humans and elephants, reduce the area’s dependence on natural resources, reduce crimes against nature, and provide livelihoods for people in the community.
Speaking to the media at a trial farm in Phchek Chrum village on 21 April 2023, Neth Pheaktra stated that the Ministry of Environment and partner organizations have organized an Asian Elephant Organic Crop Project. Located in Pramoy commune in Pursat, they want to create a local economy for people to grow various crops instead of trapping wildlife and exploiting natural resources.
According to the spokesperson, the project’s goal is to provide alternative forms of income to hunting or logging. Specifically, they want more vegetable growers to supply the market which will provide steady income to the community and reduce illegal activities in the forests. "This is a joint strategy that the Ministry of Environment sees as a positive solution for established conservation areas by providing new employment options to the people," he said.
He confirmed that the ministry has started to implement the first phase of the project by assisting ten families in growing cucumbers, peppers, eggplant and cabbage. He said the ministry would continue to encourage them to grow other crops as well. At the same time, the Ministry will encourage other communities to grow vegetables for export at local and provincial markets.
He added that the Ministry of Environment has provided support to about 200 communities to protect natural resources across the country with the goal of developing communities and providing livelihoods. To this end, they have provided livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens and other organic vegetable crops to the community.
Pouch Va, a trial farmer for the project, used to make wooden furniture, but has moved to growing organic vegetables. Presiding over 10,000 square meters of land, he can make more than 100,000 riels per day. He believes that in growing vegetables he is contributing to the conservation of natural resources.
He says that by growing crops, he earns a regular income that can help him have a better life. He said, "The current market is stable-a kilogram of cucumbers costs 2,000 riel, beans are 4,500 riel. We sell in the market; people see that we grow organically in Veal Veng and they want to buy it. To build and sell a wooden bed takes one month; it can only be sold once. Planting for a month yields much more product to sell.”
He pointed out that in the future he wants to expand to growing tomatoes, but he lacks the planting techniques. He asked the Ministry of Environment or relevant organizations to provide more training in planting techniques to farmers in the community.
In response, Neth Pheaktra emphasized that the Ministry of Environment will cooperate with partner organizations and will focus on providing knowledge and technical skills to growers so that they can grow other crops successfully. He said, "We will continue to cooperate more to provide the knowledge to support him so that he has the full ability to grow vegetables, because in this area there is the potential next to the canal for people to use irrigation."
