Thursday, January 13, 2011

Farm contracts or potential for more land-grabbings and evictions?

Ministry Looks to Have More Hand in Farm Contracts

Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Wednesday, 12 January 2011
“This draft will eliminate the middlemen and bring investors directly to meet farmers or farmer associations.”
The Ministry of Agriculture is finalizing a new subdecree that would put it in a major role for contract farmers.

The subdecree lets the ministry help farmers find investment partners and markets for their goods, said Mao Sopheareth, director of the ministry's agro-industrial development department.

“After approving this draft, we'll have a direct relationship between sellers and farmers in signing their contracts,” he said. “This draft will eliminate the middlemen and bring investors directly to meet farmers or farmer associations.”

Farmers have complained in the past of receiving low value for their raw goods, while middlemen reap the value added of better markets. But without a mechanism to help them, it can be difficult for farmers to find a lucrative market for their products.


Meanwhile, Cambodia is hoping to produce 1 million tons for rice for export by 2015.

Mao Sopheareth said the draft will help that goal and will help build trust for investors who want to bring their business here. It is under review by a legal expert and is expected to be examined by the Council of Ministers in February.

Yong Saing Koma, president of Cambodian Center for Study and Development in Agriculture, said that the draft will be good for farmers and sellers by watching over contracts.

“It implements justice,” he said. “The farmers have a clear contract on the market, quality, quantity and standards with the sellers. The foreign companies will buy their products. The company has clarity for buying their products with quality, quantity and standards.”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears that RGC is taking up the real reform in transforming Cambodia.

These priorities are vital to Cambodians,farmers.Farmer association is to be more cooperative and constructive.
Lots of facility required to assist farmers with modern approach of agriculture.

Anti corruption appears taking in the right step,reducing the pressure on citizen and definately WILL allow more genuine investors in bringing country's economy in better shape.

It is too early to draw up any conclusion,but it is a right move to truely display that if RGC pays attention to the country needs.

Well done!

Peasant

Anonymous said...

KI team could you please Post my article below in your bloge.

The united state, European union, King, Funcipece, CPP, and 92 precent of cambodia people are not with Mr. Sam rainsy, except Thai thuge that give rainsy hope but Thai thug only used SRP for their benifite, and SRP organization are totaly mess, mess, and messy, now as we clearly see How low, low, low and inexperienced Mr.Sam is? wasn't it right?. Based on negative preach and master in criticising skile stratergy Sam very wishly to divide, divid, and divide our Khmer, and his bige liar skile in sucking our money to support his family morgages in franch, what else Mr. supprior Rainsy can do, ....see any..... any.....no, none nothings, wasn't it right?. Same is Chines, alway smarte in Business.
Can any body could tell me what his father sam Sarry had don any goods things at all,.
Now we clearly see Same family are enslave us most of the time for gaining personal power and wealthy rich. All KI Editor are highly interlected and much more capable smarter than Rainsy, Now I can see KI and other SRP supporter could run SRP by their own, and we all clearly, clearly, and clearly see Mr. Same braind capacity are absolutely imposible to leade us to fictory, for now and for 15 years ahead, No ways that this man Same no longer in our dream, hope any more. He Same aroused our anger against Veit, agianst Cpp, Against all Khmer, do you stile thing if Mr.Sam are ellected to be leader, you think he going to eliminate Veit,? He can eliminat all CPP, does he strong anought to dealt with thia thug?.NOOOOOOO Nooooo and Nooo uslese Sam not at all. we absolutely, see futur with rainsy is about Rainsy his own greedy hunger and cheat all of us. Khmer help khmer not chines Rainsy. As I see You KI must positively chang to fairly ways in your professionalism to totaly focus on re build supperior cultur among Khmer any things that lead to preach stronger Khmer. Best Regards Mike

Anonymous said...

khmer people should talk to each talk. if they can't talk to each other about the important decision, then their leadership ability is in question! wrong person for a leader, pick another one, not the ineffective one. that's all!