Improved rice establishment and productivity in
Cambodia and Australia

Rice remains the cornerstone of Cambodian agriculture. However, over the last couple of years, production systems have been undergoing more radical change than in the last couple of hundred years. Primarily, these changes are related to the spread of direct seeding, a significant increase in the proportion of irrigated rice and the replacement of animal draught for machinery for field preparation. This project is focused on the first of these changes, addressing some of the common constraints to high productivity such as excessive weed infestation, uneven crop emergence and poor water control.

The aim of the project is to enhance rice system productivity in rain-fed and irrigated lowlands systems (including direct seeded systems) through better matching of production systems to soil type and water availability/quality and through mechanisation. This will be achieved through the increased capacity of machinery in both direct seeded rice and conservation tillage, also leading to more timely crop establishment, reduced weeding costs and better water management. The Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain Program (CAV AC) will support extension of the project and help create better policy and market environment for the dissemination of new agricultural machinery and herbicides. Through this project, Cambodia will have tested and improved methods of direct seeding rice, with benefits flowing directly to Cambodian smallholders. This project is focused on raising production and consequently increasing food security in the South East Asian Mekong region.

 

This project is funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) for four years (2010-2014).

For further information, please contact John Fielke or Jack Desbiolles