Kampong Thom: Dr. Kao Thach, the Royal Government Delegate in Charge of the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB) and President of the Techo Farmers Network Association, on May 18, 2026, presided over a meeting and greeting ceremony for farmers from several agricultural communities in all districts of Kampong Thom province, in which he suggested that farmers should consider jointly producing natural fertilizers to reduce the use of high-cost chemical fertilizers.
The program was attended by Mr. Ek Hieng, Director of Kampong Thom Provincial Technical Institute, Mr. Kaing Sophanna, Director of the Stoung District Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Office, Mr. Sam Theara, Director of Kampong Chheuteal General Knowledge and Applied Technical High School, as well as communities from districts, commune heads from districts and communes, and a total of 179 farmers.
Dr. Kao Thach stated to farmers from agricultural communities in various districts in Kampong Thom province that the meeting of farmers today is to provide new information on the agricultural sector, especially the need to strengthen productivity to a high level in production at a time when chemical fertilizer prices are rising, which is not only a problem for our farmers, but also for farmers around the world.
At this point, Dr. Fayet emphasized that the community and farmers here must unite to produce locally to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and help reduce production costs. Although this year’s yield is low, it is a step that can be better next year, where our farmers can farm profitably and sell at a high price.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dang reminded the farmers that agriculture is the lifeblood of our Khmer people. There is evidence on the temples and water towers around Angkor Wat that show that from the beginning, we Khmer people have a lineage of farmers who have been farmers since our ancestors, especially during the Angkor period. Agriculture, which at that time made our Khmer people strong, was a great asset, both in expanding our territory, building the people’s economy, and ensuring the supply of food to the army.
Regarding this modern farming system, Dr. Fadil encouraged farmers to be proud of themselves, otherwise, we farmers would not have a rice market because agriculture not only feeds the country, but is also the world’s rice bowl, through the export of our rice to more than 60 countries.
In addition, Dr. Fang said that farming today is different from 500 years ago, when people used hand-pulled rice fields and now returned to using machinery. However, in production, if you do not think about the cost of production per unit and the use of time, spraying or applying fertilizer correctly, you will not get good results and face losses every year.
At this point, the Techo Farmers Network Association was established with the intention of serving the farmers, namely the association will act as: (1) an umbrella for farmers, a collective to protect the rights or legality of farmers or protect against abuses and exploitation of farmers, and (2) the association will act as a bridge for them to walk or connect to other opportunities, such as opportunities to obtain technical and market information, especially as a bridge to connect the voices of farmers to competent institutions. Or the national and international community that must not leave the voice of any farmer behind.
After the speech of the delegation, there was also a ceremony to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Kampong Thom Provincial Polytechnic Institute and the Techo Farmers Network Association. Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between Kampong Chheuteal General Knowledge and Applied Technical High School and the Techo Farmers Network Association.
