PHNOM PENH: Rice miller and exporter Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co. met with representatives from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, development partners, and donors in Mondulkiri this week to discuss ways and means of promoting organic and sustainable agriculture this week.

“Through the collaboration project, Amru Rice with the help of the Dutch government and stakeholders will create employment opportunities for farmers in remote areas, provide them access to good value markets from organic farming, and adhere to social and environmental practices that ensure the storage and quality of rice,” the firm said.

While farmers in Mondulkiri benefit from fertile land and rich biodiversity, they struggle with insufficient resources and limited access to modern farming practices. The stakeholders discussed organic agriculture as a long-term intervention strategy to sustain Mondulkiri’s agricultural economy.

Amru Rice has already dedicated resources to organic farming, having employed almost 20,000 small-scale farmers in the last decade who grow and harvest the rice without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizer.

In the first quarter of 2023, the Cambodia Rice Federation reported $126 million USD in revenue from Cambodian rice exports, which includes varieties such as premium aromatic rice, long grain white rice, parboiled rice, and organic rice.