25 April 2014: The WorldFish CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) released a working paper, titled ‘Agriculture, irrigation and poverty reduction in Cambodia: Policy narratives and ground realities compared.’ The report reviews the current status of agriculture in Cambodia, including the Cambodian Government’s emphasis on agricultural and rural development as a priority issue for achieving poverty reduction, economic growth and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Irrigation represents one mechanism for intensifying agricultural productivity and increasing climate resilience, according to the paper. The paper identifies factors that contribute to poor irrigation system design and management, including: water scarcity and competition for water; poor soil quality; climate variability; poor functioning of existing irrigation systems; poor performance of farmer water user communities (FWUCs); limited authority and legitimacy of FWUCs; lack of planning and coordination; underdeveloped participation and lack of ownership; and uncertain institutional roles. The paper also discusses production constraints, such as: tenure uncertainty; poor quality seeds and fertilizer; limited coverage and services of agricultural extension services; limited long-term financing and investment capital; high exposure to risk; and high energy costs.

The paper includes sections on, inter alia: the policy landscape, including the decentralization of irrigation operation and maintenance responsibilities; system design and management; production constraints; post-harvest services that constrain produce values; governance challenges; and tradeoffs between agriculture for poverty reduction versus agriculture for export as well as tradeoffs between agriculture and other land uses.

Noting “significant divergence between what the policies envisage as being possible and the messages from the field,” the paper emphasizes that multiple conditions still need to be met before irrigated agriculture is economically viable and an efficient allocation of resources. It suggests more flexibility is needed in local irrigation management institutions and recommends additional research on how to improve FWUCs. It also suggests groundwater irrigation, agricultural cooperatives and private sector models as possible options.

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACGIAR) co-funded the research. WorldFish is a CGIAR member. [CGIAR Press Release] [Publication: Agriculture, Irrigation and Poverty Reduction in Cambodia: Policy Narratives and Ground Realities Compared]