Country Report Cambodia

The Collaboration Network for the Management of Migratory Rice Plant hoppers and Associated Virus Diseases of Rice in Asia

General Information for Cambodia: Cambodia is located at 102o to 108oE and 10o to 15o N. This country influence by Monsoon climate, which consist of two seasons: dry season (November – April) and wet season (May – October). The rainfall is varied from 1250 to 2500 mm annually; the lowest is in January and the highest is in October with humidity range from 69 to 80%, which the lowest is occurs in March and the highest is in September. The day length is from 11 hours to 13 hours. The shortest day length is in December and longest is in June. The temperature varies from 23 to 33 oC, the lowest occurs in December and highest is in April; with an evaporation of 2230mm per year. The lowest and highest evaporation occurs in September and March respectively.

Natural resources

The natural resources of Cambodia are officially under the protection of the state, as expressed in Article 59 of the constitution: The state shall protect the environment and balance of abundant natural resources and establish a precise plan of management of land, water, air, wind, geology, ecology, ecologic system, mines, energy, petrol and gas, rocks and sand, germs, forests and forest products, wildlife, fish and aquatic resources”.

Table1. Land use and it occupation by category in Cambodia (ha)

The land use is divided by main group such as Agricultural land (24%), forest cover (56%), Grassland (6%), Shrub land 10%), Soil-Rock (0.2%), Urban (0.1%) and water (3%) (table1).

Agriculture and its constrains Cambodia is an agricultural country with 80% of its population living in rural areas, relying on the agricultural sector to support their livelihood. The share of GDP contributed by the agricultural sector was estimated at 27.5%. 31.1% was contributed by the industrial sector and 41.4% by the services sector. The agriculture sub-sectors are composed of crop production (54.8%), forestry (5.7%), fisheries (25.4%) and animal husbandry (14.1%).

Land use Area (ha) Area (%)

Total 18,133,656 100

Agriculture 4,370,027 24 Forest cover* 10,215,094 56 Grassland 1,078,243 6 Shrub land 1,883,882 10 Soil-Rock 36,254 0.2 Urban 18,022 0.1 Water 532,133 3

Rice is remaining the most important commodity for export among other 11 priority crops. However, the rice yield in Cambodia is remarkable low as compared to neighboring countries (Vietnam and Thailand). However, the rice production has increased from year to year as the production inputs services are improved. Moreover, Cambodia is still facing with several constrains in agriculture: they are water, soil fertility, variety, good quality seed, pests and diseases, investment in research and marketing.

To response the above constrains, Royal Government of Cambodia’s Policies on Agriculture is to improve agricultural productivity and diversification. Agricultural sector is to serve as the driving force for economic growth and poverty reduction such as promoting agricultural intensification and diversification, creating employment and generating income in the rural areas, ensuring nutritional improvement and food security, increasing production while ensuring quality for international standard of agricultural products, and increasing agricultural exports.

The participation of private sector in agriculture sector which the Royal Government of Cambodia attempt to provide the assurance of land ownership and also promoting the development of irrigation facilities.

The expanding support services on agricultural research and extension including marketing for agricultural product, distribution of inputs, seeds, fertilizer, increased supply of rural credit and encouraging private investment is essential of Government Policy on Agriculture.

Cambodia set it up the development of border and remote areas to controlling migration and development of township to facilitate local economic activities. Keep promoting the one village one product movement in the purpose of encouraging modes of production suited to village context and market needs, market identification, human resource development and creation of agricultural communities.

For contributing solving the problem, the project namely the Collaboration Network for Management of Migratory Rice Planthoppers and Associated Virus Diseases of Rice in Asia was formulated and implemented in the country members, including Cambodia, since mid of 2011 with funding from AFACI and it continues till present.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in CambodiaThe National IPM Program has recently emphasized a focus on sustainability by developing FFS approaches that are adopted by provincial government and development agencies, including NGOs. The Program also promotes the integration of IPM-FFSs in the work and budget plans of local community councils whose work programs are funded through decentralized donor-supported programs. This way, IPM training activities have become more demand-driven and can be scaled-up at district level. FFS alumni have formed groups and associations to continue working together with established trainer networks to provide services to local IPM projects and promoting IPM products via food safety projects. IPM alumni farmers organize in chemical-free and organic production associations. These associations assist in facilitating linkages for more effective marketing of IPM produce and better market access. Safe IPM produce is then supplied to supermarkets, restaurants, and high class hotels-casinos. Introduction and promotion of biological control, e.g., use of parasitoids (C. plutellae, Asecodes), pathogens (Trichoderma) and predators (earwigs), is included in IPM-FFS as to provide farmers with alternatives to chemical pesticides. Application of FFS approaches to training on plant genetic resource management, plant biodiversity and integrated farming systems (rice-fish-vegetable-livestock) have allowed farmers to expand learning about a range of agricultural activities, aimed at developing sustainable agricultural production systems throughout the country. The

National IPM Program leads to more sustainable and cost-effective production, reduction of ecological disruption and environmental contamination, reduction of public health and toxic residues in food and improvement of livelihood, biodiversity and marketability of produces. This makes a huge contribution to food security and safety promotion, poverty alleviation, and ultimately to the national economic growth which are the priorities of the Cambodian Royal Government’s rural development policy and strategy.

IPM Activities1- Location

- Svay Reang province● Svay Chrom district, Svay Teab district, Chan Trea district.● 50 farmers each district.

- Prey Veng provine● Kam Chay Mea district, Sithor Kandal district, and Kanh Chreach district.● 50 farmers each district.

2- Extension and Control measure 2-1 BPH

- General information of BPH- Control measure

→Use Water→ Use Net→ Release ducks in the rice field→ Use pesticides

2-2 Army warm - General information of BPH- Control measure

→ Control rice field or farm (clean)→ Dig small ditch around the rice field or farm→ Use water→ Pesticides use

Rice cultivation and varieties

The cultivated rice variety in rice production eco-system has its specific durations for the development of its growth stages. In terms of the total crop cycle, there are three groups of cultivated rice cultivars: early maturing (120 days or less), medium (> 120-150 days) and late maturing (>150 days). The traditional cultivars grown in Cambodia are generally photoperiod sensitive and of longer duration (late maturing cultivars). Such cultivars may face more problems with brown planthopper attack because populations can build up with more generation within a single crop cycle. This is unlikely to occur in shorter duration or early maturing cultivars.

The rice cultivars cultivated in Cambodia are distributed across the country in difference rice-based ecosystems; they are upland, deep water, dry season and rainfed low land systems. The rainfed lowland ecosystems are divided in higher elevation, medium, and lowland, while there is also a division over early and late wet season rice. The higher elevation fields are suitable for short duration varieties such as Senpidao, Chhulsa and IR66, which can be harvested in less than 120 days. The medium elevation fields are recommended to be grown with varieties which can be harvested between 15 November and 7 December. Those recommended varieties are

Phkar Roumdoul, Phkar Romeat, Phkar Romdeng and Phkar Chan Sensar; the four mentioned varieties are aromaticand have an export potential. The lower elevation fields are suitable for late varieties such as Rainchay, CAR4 and CAR6, which can be harvested in late December. The dry season crops are partially or fully irrigated, the most suitable and recommended varieties are Senipdoa, Chhulsa and IR66.

Project goal and objectives

The establishment of a sustainable multinational collaboration network for the management of migrating rice planthoppers and associated rice viruses is to provide the strategic basis enabling to reduce their incidences below the threshold level for chemical control of rice planthoppers in resource-limited Asian countries. The main objectives of this regional project are: 1) to assess the status of problems in rice production incurred by RPH and associated viruses in the respective collaborating countries, 2) to develop a zonal RPH migration model based on seasonal and spatial monitoring data on RPH populations and rice virus incidences in the collaborating countries, 3) to determine the characteristics of RPH for transmission of rice viruses prevalent in the collaborating countries, and 4) to establish the structural framework for multinational collaboration for the management of RPH and associated rice viruses among the participating countries. BPH population monitoring by using yellow sticky trap

The sticky traps were implemented in rice fields to monitor for recording the BPH population. The prone area of BPH outbreaks is the reason of site study selection. We selected three farmer rice fields in as that location was heavily outbreak during 2008-2009 (fig1).

Light trap monitoring for migrating BPH

A light trap has been set since 2011 in Poloas’ Plant Protection Research Station in Prey Veng province. The selecting location for BPH monitoring has a history of BPH outbreaks. In the report period (from June 2015-June 2016) light trap was monitored nightly. The light attracting

insects and arthropods were observed at high level of catchment in the period of from June to September (Table 2).

Table 2. Light trap data collected from a single trap from June 2015 to June 2016 in Prey Veng, CambodiaMonth BPH WBPH SBPH Rice Leaf

FolderRice Stemborer

Other 1Male Female Male Female Male Female

June 15 340 58 458

July 15 300 65 590

August 15 470 30 530

September 15 350 25 415

October 15 270 15 455

November 15 197 20 257

December 15 168 60 348

January 16 270 57 377

February 16 227 46 434

March 16 192 30 267

April 16 200 27 239

May 16 160 17 332

June 16 310 60 680

July 16 400 56 657

August 16 420 55 510

Note : Other 1 : They are grasshoppers, crickets, butterflies and spiders

Light trap for BPH migrating monitoring

Field Survey and monitoring data on rice planthoppers and viruses from June 2015-June 2016

From June to the end of August, 2016 the yellow sticky trap was used to monitor the incidence planthoppers, which used to occur during that period. Three rice fields (as replicates) in Punlear village, Sangkor commune, Svay Rieng district, Svay Rieng province were the target fields for monitoring planthoppers occurrence. Understanding that rice production in Cambodia is mainly (85%) in wet season (from May to December each year). So that from June to August each year is the reasonable period for conducting rice planthopper surveillance as that period more frequently those rice field near the Vietnam border were landed by BPH.

Table 3. BPH and other athropods trapped by yellow sticky trap from (2016)

Svay Reang, Cambodia, Ba> BPH adults, Spd>spidersMonth in 2015

June July August

Week # 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4

BHP & Spiders #

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Ba

Spd

Field

R1 46

2 60

1 25

2 26

4 332

18

404

22

189

5 437

12

62 7 225 9 54

7 63

6

R2 55

4 35

2 27

3 56

6 142

14

15

225

17

331

12

223

8 190 5 163

67

479

7

R3 47

3 30

1 19

3 79

5 208

17

302

18

337

9 442

23

192

5 176 4 151

1 104

3

Pesticide information to control rice planthoppers

Even we are not encouraging farmers to use chemicals to control BPH, we still approve the private companies to import insecticides for use in BPH control. The registration for imported insecticides is approved for two products: 1) Phenobucarb (killing BPH adults) and 2) Buprofezin (killing BPH juvenile instars). Nevertheless, several products are imported by local farmers and small traders. These illegal/unofficial imports include banned insecticides.

Project outcome

The information on pest status in rice production as well other crops including vegatable are regularly reported to the political level. Then it is highly interested by showing immediately taken an action directly to the location and released the experiences and technical to the farmers (pictures in below the senior minister and his team visited rice fields and vegetable product area with implementing IPM).

The rice planthopper occurrence in southeast provinces (Prey Veng & Svay Rieng) is broadcasted via local radio in those provinces. That radio channel is very popular by the local farmers; thus information on planthoppers landing.

Field day at the end of season also play an important role to share the best experience in applying IPM in rice and vegetable crops.

Farmer field school in vegetable crop conducted in several locations is helpful for vegetable growers; in pictures below farmers gained the knowledge on insect pest biology by applying insect zoo into the FFS.

Planning for project activity in 2017The project should focus on:

- Monitoring on rice planthopper occurrence - Surveillance on rice diseases- Insect pests and diseases occurrence in vegetable production and vegetable IPM

information- Pesticides control plant hopper- Produce in leaflet for farmers on research results in 2016

Discussion and suggestion

As Cambodia is a least developed agrarian country thus it is highly need to invest in R&D However, Government of Cambodia has put in the R& D in Agriculture in the first priority. On time we have a network on this area to share the information and research results thought this project. However, starting from this project Cambodia is in a firm step to work together with the region. AFACI is a worthily initial to bring and share each other in the field of agriculture R&D.

The project is a starter driven force that the development of multi-scale adaptation strategies and demonstration of processes that enable policy makers to deliver more effective R&D programs in agriculture sector.

It is a great opportunity for young scientists, farmers, and all stakeholders to harvest the knowledge arising from this project by sharing the information and get them for applying in our own socio-economic system. However, we still more to justify the implementing this project with higher efficiency. In this opportunity we would suggest to all of us (project members) to provide best experience in R&D and work closer each other.

I am frankly, requested for your kind apology of any inconvenient arising from my final report or any circumstances.