A group of farmers in Tramkak are planting rice saplings in a dry rice field (Photo: RFA)
A farmer took the chance to plow his dry rice field (Photo: RFA)By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Cambodian villagers in the Tramkak district, Takeo province, have expressed their worries about the drought which has persisted for several months already. The amount of rain is negligible, thus causing on-going loss of rice crop.
No water policy intervention by the local authorities had been seen to salvage to rice plants from destruction by the drought.
Svay Siphal, a villager from Trob Siem village, Oddam Soriya commune, Tramkak district, Takeo province, is plowing his dry rice field. He said from the middle of his field: “Right now, the drought is more serious, there is no rain, just a drizzle yesterday. I take my chance to plow the field, if it rains than it will work, if there’s no rain, it will be a loss. The years before, by this month, we would be planting rice already. It is extremely difficult, if we cannot plant the rice, next year we won’t have anything (to eat).”
RFA reporter noticed about 20 women planting rice in a dry rice field, rice plants in the fields nearby are dead due to the drought.
Kang Sam Oeun, deputy provincial governor of Takeo province said over the phone: “We believe that agriculture production depends on nature. I believe that it is not too late yet, Cambodians can still plant rice crops up all the way to Pchum Ben festival (in September).”
According to Serey Kosal, the (Funcinpec) vice-president of the National Committee for Disaster Management, several thousands of hectares of rice plants need immediate assistance. He has already reported the situation to prime minister Hun Sen recently.
Serey Kosal said: “For this situation, we cannot delay too long, the assistance must be immediately provided. But, I am waiting (orders) from above. What assistance method will the people above decide. I am waiting to apply (the solution ordered), but I already reported (the case).”
He indicated that provinces which are currently facing major drought are: Kompong Speu, Takeo, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kandal, and Pursat.
Related to the drought in several provinces, Mrs. Sith Vannaret, director of the meteorological section of the water resource department, clarified that based on studies and survey, the amount of rainfall is normal for this year, except for the provinces which are facing drought currently. This is nothing to be alarmed about since these regions always faced drought every single year.
In 2005, the agriculture department officially reported that Cambodia harvested more than 5 million tons of rice. However, financial analysts claimed that it was only possible to have such harvest only because there was enough rainfall near the end of the season.
No water policy intervention by the local authorities had been seen to salvage to rice plants from destruction by the drought.
Svay Siphal, a villager from Trob Siem village, Oddam Soriya commune, Tramkak district, Takeo province, is plowing his dry rice field. He said from the middle of his field: “Right now, the drought is more serious, there is no rain, just a drizzle yesterday. I take my chance to plow the field, if it rains than it will work, if there’s no rain, it will be a loss. The years before, by this month, we would be planting rice already. It is extremely difficult, if we cannot plant the rice, next year we won’t have anything (to eat).”
RFA reporter noticed about 20 women planting rice in a dry rice field, rice plants in the fields nearby are dead due to the drought.
Kang Sam Oeun, deputy provincial governor of Takeo province said over the phone: “We believe that agriculture production depends on nature. I believe that it is not too late yet, Cambodians can still plant rice crops up all the way to Pchum Ben festival (in September).”
According to Serey Kosal, the (Funcinpec) vice-president of the National Committee for Disaster Management, several thousands of hectares of rice plants need immediate assistance. He has already reported the situation to prime minister Hun Sen recently.
Serey Kosal said: “For this situation, we cannot delay too long, the assistance must be immediately provided. But, I am waiting (orders) from above. What assistance method will the people above decide. I am waiting to apply (the solution ordered), but I already reported (the case).”
He indicated that provinces which are currently facing major drought are: Kompong Speu, Takeo, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kandal, and Pursat.
Related to the drought in several provinces, Mrs. Sith Vannaret, director of the meteorological section of the water resource department, clarified that based on studies and survey, the amount of rainfall is normal for this year, except for the provinces which are facing drought currently. This is nothing to be alarmed about since these regions always faced drought every single year.
In 2005, the agriculture department officially reported that Cambodia harvested more than 5 million tons of rice. However, financial analysts claimed that it was only possible to have such harvest only because there was enough rainfall near the end of the season.
2 comments:
The Vietcong have the intelligence to flood their rice field with abundance of water! Does AH HUN SEN has any intelligence of his own? No!
AH HUN SEN is still a slave waiting for his master(the Vietcong) to tell him to do something!
What happen to all those irrigation projects? Did the Vietcong tell AH HUN SEN to stop it? I already know the fucken answer!
You are so mean to Hun Sen.
I wish he would never heard of this kind of talk. So please lead he can not see and heard again, may be dead would do him good.
A Kwak will go to deep deep hele.
Post a Comment