Specific examples
1
I. Purpose of using these specific examples in this module
1.
2.
These specific examples are suggested to strengthen students’ global perspective by enabling
them to extend their study of food problem from China to the LDCs.
Students should understand the types of food problems faced by these countries, their causes
and how they solve these problems.
II. Curriculum tailoring for students of different abilities
1.
2.
Teachers should ensure that all students, regardless of their ability, be able to acquire a brief
understanding of farming types in China and the world, the food problems in China and LDCs
and the solutions adopted in solving these problems.
As for the more able students, teachers can ask their students to conduct an in-depth study of
one or more of the specific examples to compare the causes of food problem in the example
and in China. The study can also include an evaluation of the feasibility of the solutions, such
as using scientific farming methods, adopted to solve the problem.
III. How to make use of the information provided in this folder?
1.
2.
3.
Under each specific example, data will be provided to show the seriousness of the famine
problem in the region / country, followed by the causes and solutions of the problem.
Teachers need not cover all the information provided in this folder. Instead it is advisable for
them to select appropriate example(s) and refine the materials based on the ability and interest
of their students.
Teachers can make use of the materials as:

Background information for students to understand the causes of famine and how the
problem is being tackled;


Information for comparing the cases of different countries;
Materials for self-study.
2
Table 1: Prevalence of undernourishment (%) of selected countries in Sahel, 2006-2008
Name of country
Prevalence of undernourishment (%)
Chad
39
Eritrea
65
Ethiopia
41
Mali
12
Niger
16
Senegal
19
Sudan
22
Figure 1: Hunger Map 2011 of African countries (risk of suffering from hunger)
Source: World Food Programme
3
I. News about famine in Sahel
In 2010, about 15 million people in Niger would face
moderate to severe malnutrition.
By January 2012, more than 10 million people in Sahel
are at risk of food shortages and Early Warning Systems
are on high alert. The hunger gap (the period between
harvests) in Sahel is predicted to begin in March instead
of July. Ten million families will have exhausted their
food reserves.
Aid groups warned that hunger threatened a population
of 5 to 9 million people living in Africa's Sahel region
south of the Sahara, including Chad, Niger, Mauritania,
Burkina Faso and Mali in January 2012. Even in an
average year of harvest, 450,000 children in Chad need
treatment for acute malnutrition, and the number will
increase dramatically in 2012.
References:
1.
“Hunger Crisis in Chad just few weeks away, warns aid agency”
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/hunger-crisis-in-chad-just-weeks-away-warns-aid-agency/
2.
“One million children in the Sahel at risk of malnutrition by spring”
http://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/emergencies/the-sahel-a-looming-food-crisis/one-milli
on-children-in-the-sahel-at-risk-of-malnutrition-by-spring/
3.
“Strong risk of 2010 famine in Africa’s Sahel: EU”
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE60S04T20100129http://af.reuters.com/article/to
pNews/idAFJOE60S04T20100129
4
II. Causes of famine
Natural causes:
1.
Climate

This is an area with low and unreliable rainfall, generally less
than 500 mm/year. Variation in total annual rainfall can be up
to 30-40%. Rainfall usually comes as torrential downpours
which are destructive to soils and harmful to plants. In addition,
lack of rain contributed to a 26% fall in Niger’s 2009/2010
cereal harvest compared to the year before.


The temperature is high which will cause a high evaporation
rate. Soil moisture will be reduced.
Climate change has further worsened the situation.
Temperatures have increased across the continent by 3.5oC and
rainfall patterns have significantly changed. This leads to a
reduction in precipitation and some areas may have extended
droughts or sudden heavy storms. In 2010, the heavy rain
caused serious flooding that damaged most of the crops. Over
141,000 hectares of cereal crops and cash crops were
destroyed, affecting a total of 1.8 million people, especially in
Chad and Burkina Faso.
5
2. Occurrence of natural hazards

There is frequent occurrence of natural disaster such as drought
and locust invasion. It is estimated that between 2011 and 2100,
agricultural sector will lose 2-4% of the region’s GDP owing to
climatic hazards.
Human causes:
1.
Growing population


A growing population has put much stress on the land in Sahel. For
example, in Niger, every woman can expect to have around 7
children. Its population has increased by 15% between 2008 and
2009. Since the technological level of most farmers in Sahel is low,
they tend to increase the agricultural production by making use of
the marginal lands. This leads to soil exhaustion which further
reduces the fertility of soil in the area.
Growing population also causes over-cultivation and over-grazing.
Such practices exhaust soil fertility which further leads to
desertification. Less land is available for food production.
6
2.
Poor economic development

Most of these countries are poor and their economy relies on
semi-subsistence farming. Ethiopia, Malawi and Niger are
among the world’s ten poorest countries, Niger being the
poorest of all. They don’t have money to buy food from other
countries. In addition, since most farmers are poor or in debt,
they tend to sell their products immediately after harvest even
though the prices are not good. So they remain poor and can’t
afford to buy food.
3.
Rising food price

The problem is further worsened by the increasing food price.
For example, the cereal prices increased by 200-300% in
2004-2005 due to bad harvest. The government also failed to
do anything to stabilize the price or subsidize their people to
buy food.
7
4.
Unstable political situation

Political situation in the region has also contributed to the
problem. Civil wars and riots are not uncommon in Sahel
countries, e.g. Ethiopia and Somali. Wars do not only destroy
farmland and infrastructure but also hinder the help from NGOs.
Donors of NGOs may refuse to contribute because they are afraid
that all the aids will go to the soldiers.

Political instability in North Africa also affected the economies
of the countries in Sahel. Many people from Sahel have gone to
Libya to work and they contributed to the economy of their
mother countries by sending money home. However, as civil war
broke out in Libya in 2011, about 200,000 migrant workers will
have to go back to their mother countries, meaning that there will
be a loss of these remittances.
8
References:
1. Devereux Stephen (2009). Why does famine persist in Africa? Food security, Vol.1 No. 1,
25-35.
2. Disaster risk management strategy in West Africa and the Sahel FAO (2011-2013)
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/tc/tce/pdf/DRM_Strategy_Sahel_2011-2013_web.pdf
3. One million children in the Sahel at risk of malnutrition by spring
http://www.actionagainsthunger.org.uk/emergencies/the-sahel-a-looming-food-crisis/one-millio
n-children-in-the-sahel-at-risk-of-malnutrition-by-spring
4. Sahel set to suffer the consequences of famine fatigue
http://za.news.yahoo.com/sahel-set-suffer-consequences-famine-fatigue-234812123.html
5. “Strong risk” of 2010 famine in Africa’s Sahel: EU
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE60S04T20100129
6. The magnitude of the problem
http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5318E/x5318e02.htm
7. What caused the Niger Famine in 2010?
http://david-myers.suite101.com/what-caused-the-niger-famine-in-2010-a274031
9
III. Solutions to the problem
1. Immediate relief
 International aid is the immediate and common relief for these countries. Many
NGOs such as the Oxfam, World Vision and Red Cross will launch worldwide
donation programmes to collect food, money and necessities for those people
affected.
2. Famine prediction and early warning system
 The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations tries to
collect the data on annual food production as well as estimates and forecasts of

cereal production, food prices and policies. Climatic hazard and risk maps are
prepared. This information is important for them to predict the probability of
famine so that early warning can be issued.
The organization also monitors the pest and disease situation so that early
warning can be issued.
3. Mitigation measures
a. Inter-governmental contingency plan
 The FAO and other organizations such as the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD) have provided support to the
decision-makers and government officials on the preparation of departmental
and inter-departmental contingency plan.
10
b.
Use of scientific farming methods
 Poor countries should have the option to use modern science, including
genetic engineering, to solve problems of insect and pest attacks,
plant and animal diseases, micronutrient deficiencies, and low yields.
These aids are mainly provided by NGOs working in the area.

They have developed many projects which help to improve the irrigation
system, educate farmers on advanced farming technology and help improve their
farming methods. For example, drip irrigation has been introduced in Niger
which helps to solve its water shortage problem. Oxfam also helps the local
communities in Sahel by disseminating good husbandry practices, providing
communities with small care equipment and organizing vaccination campaigns.
It also helps develop farming techniques and water supply infrastructure.
New seed varieties are introduced. Research has been conducted to search for
new food source for the area. Acacia colei is grown as another food source for
the area. This plant is chosen because it has a high productivity of seeds which
can be used as flour added to the daily receipts of the local people. Seeds can be
harvested two years after it is sown and it yields about 2 kg of seed per tree for
each harvest. These trees can be grown in harsh environment and when it is no
longer productive, they can be used as fuel wood.
c. Food pricing / security system
 Since the causes of famine do not only concern with the shortage of food, there
is a need for better governance of the food system at national and international
level. FAO and other organizations such as the Charter for Food Crisis
Prevention and Management under the Organization for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) will advise the local government to plan their price
stabilization policy or measures relating to the import of food. They fund food
security programmes and realize the “right to food” through the elaboration of
legal framework, action plans and their financial support.
11
d.
Birth control
 Some NGOs such as Oxfam and World Vision targeted at promoting birth control
and even educating local people to adopt contraceptive measures in order to
control the population.
References:
1.
2.
Developing Australian acacia seeds as a human food for the Sahel
http://www.fao.org/docrep/x0963e/x0963e0c.htm
Disaster risk management strategy in West Africa and the Sahel FAO (2011-2013)
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/tc/tce/pdf/DRM_Strategy_Sahel_2011-2013_web.pdf
3.
Drip irrigation to solve famine in the Sahel?
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/09/01/drip_irrigation_to_solve_famin/
4.
Famine in East Africa: Solutions exist in Africa
http://win.oecdfactblog.org/2011/08/19/famine-in-east-africa-solutions-exist-in-africa/
12
The following data is provided by the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research
Institute (IFPRI) of the United Nations. However the data may not be
accurate and it may not be the exact situation in North Korea because
the country is isolated and closed to the rest of the world. NGOs and
international agents could not travel freely in the country to secure
accurate data.
Table 2: Food Deprivation
Item
1990-92
1995-97
2000-02
2006-08
Proportion of undernourishment (%)
21
30
34
35
Number of undernourished (millions)
4.2
6.6
7.8
8.4
Food
230
250
270
270
deficit
of
undernourished
population (kcal/person/day)
Source: FAO
Table 3: Prevalence of underweight in children under five years (%)
Year
88-92
94-98
99-03
04-09
Percentage
22.9*
23.1*
21.3
20.6
* indicates IFPRI estimates.
Source: IFPRI
Table 4: Under-five mortality rate (%)
Year
1990
0996
2001
2009
Percentage
4.5
7.8
4.9
3.3
Source: IFPRI
13
Table 5: Global Hunger Index (GHI)
Year
1990 (with data
1996 (with data
2001 (with data
2011 (with data
from 88-92)
from 94-98)
from 99-03)
from 04-09)
16.1
20.3
20.1
19.0
GHI
GHI < 4.9 low; 5.0-9.9 moderate; 10.0-19.9 serious; 20.0-29.9 alarming; >30.0 extremely alarming
Source: IFPRI
Table 6: Food balance sheet (selected items) – 2011/12 (November/October), in ‘000 tonnes
Rice
Maize
Wheat & barley
Potatoes
1610
2032
182
489
Total utilization
1935
2185
390
502
Import
requirements
325
153
208
13
Domestic
availability
Source: FAO
Table 7: Estimated food assistance requirements for 2011/12
Vulnerable group
Number of people
Food assistance requirements (tonnes, cereal
equivalent)
Children under 5 years
965 000
31 500
Pregnant
women
581 000
43 500
Kindergarten (5-6 yrs)
395 000
21 000
Primary schools (7-10 yrs)
856 000
13 000
Elderly without support
178 000
9 600
Orphanages
12 000
700
Children medical wards
13 000
700
3 000 000
120 000
Total
and
lactating
14
Figure 2: Hunger Map 2011 of East Asian countries (risk of suffering from hunger)
Source: World Food Programme
15
I. Causes of famine
Natural causes:
1.
Climate

North Korea has a continental climate. Only one crop can be grown in the north
and may be two in the south.

60% of precipitation comes between June and September. Summers have more
intense rainfall and typhoons. The heavy cloud cover and rainfall hinder the
growth of crops because of lack of sunlight. Typhoons, intense rainfall and the


resulting flooding will also destroy the crops.
The remaining 40% of precipitation is unreliable and often brings drought in
spring, autumn and winter.
Winters are cold with a 40-day period below 0oC in the south. It is also becoming
colder recently. Frost is formed and may penetrate more than 1.2 metres into the
soil. Crops will be destroyed.
2.
Relief

The country is mountainous. There is little flatland for cultivation. Together with
the cold climate, only about 20% of the land is suitable for farming.
3.
Natural hazards

Natural hazards such as droughts, floods, tidal surges, hailstorms, typhoons and
extremely cold winters have affected the food production especially during 1996,
1997, 2000 and 2007. For example, in August 2007, six provinces of North Korea
suffered from heavy rainfall. 102,400 people became homeless and 54,160 homes
were damaged.
16
Human causes:
1. Use of marginal land for cultivation

The Communist government believes in the ideology of “self-sufficiency” and so
has cut itself off from outside influences.

In order to increase total food production in the country, every possible piece of
cultivable land, including land on mountainous steep slopes and marginal land is
opened. As these lands are not suitable for farming, intensive farming quickens soil
exhaustion and soil erosion which in turn increases the risk of flooding in times of
heavy rain. As a result, food production decreases.
2. Over-cultivation and misuse of farming inputs


In order to maximize the productivity from farmland, double-cropping and dense
planting are practiced, resulting in serious soil exhaustion and erosion.
Overuse of chemical fertilizers contributed to acidification of the soil, leading to
reduction in yields.
3. Low economic growth of the country

Being a communist country and is isolated from the rest of the world, North Korea
has long been supported by Soviet Union and China. However, in late 80’s, the
Soviet Union began to cut aid and reduce her support because she herself also faced
economic constraints and North Korea was unwilling to repay her debt.



North Korea is still heavily dependent on agriculture for income. If harvest is not
good, no food can be exported and so the country remains poor.
In earlier years, North Korea’s industry was energy-intensive. Oil was an important
input to develop industry and Soviet Union was the primary supplier of oil at well
below market price. However, as the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1991, oil imports
suddenly stopped. This greatly hindered its industrial development. Moreover, as
China began to trade with South Korea, North Korea suffered a reduction in her
trade with China.
The country has not been able to earn enough foreign exchange to import food and
so people of the country have to suffer from hunger.
17
4. Lack of supply of human farm inputs




Plastic sheets are important resource for seedbeds so that double cropping can be
carried out. However, farmers can only get 60% of what they needed in 2011.
There is also a lack of supply of fertilizer and insecticides. Local production of
fertilizers has decreased by 10% in 2011 and so there is a heavy dependence on
imports. This reduces its use in the farm. The shortage of fertilizers resulted in a
decline in agricultural productivity.
Lime is needed to improve the soil fertility of acidic soil. However, there are not
enough transport facilities or fuel to transport lime to the farm.
Machines used in the farm are old. There is also a shortage of spare parts, tyres and
fuel. Therefore, machines can’t function well to increase productivity.
5. Government control of the food

The central government has a strict control over the Public Distribution System
(PDS) in which 62% of the population depended upon government rations for basic
subsistence. However, the distribution depends on whether a person belongs to the
military, Communist Party or any favoured occupation. Therefore, the distribution is
not fair.

International food aid was not wisely used by the government. Food aid was not
used as a supplement to the food source but a substitute for food imports. Therefore,
food supply is still not enough. In addition, the government has put a lot of effort in

building up a strong military force. Therefore, food resources are used for the
empowerment of military force.
The government also controlled its people from searching for food on their own or
moving to other areas less impacted by the famine.
18
References:
1.
International Food Policy Research Institute (2011). Global Hunger Index. The Challenge of
Hunger: Taming price spikes and excessive food price volatility. Washington: IFPRI.
2.
Devereux Stephen (ed.) (2007). The New Famines: Why famines persist in an era of
globalization. Routledge: London.
3.
Haggard Stephen & Noland Marcus (2007). Famine in North Korea: Markets, Aid and Reform.
Columbia University Press: New York.
4.
Continuing famine in North Korea: Possible explanations
http://gppreview.com/2011/01/18/continuing-famine-in-north-korea-possible-explanations
5.
Famine in North Korea
http://asiasociety.org/policy/environment/water-and-food-security/famine-north-korea?page=0,
0
6.
Food and Agriculture Organization
http://www.fao.org
7.
Food crises in North Korea
http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/7-4-9/53901.html
8.
`
North Korea harvest improves
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/95179/icode
9.
Special Report FAO/WFP crop and food security assessment mission to the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea 25 November 2011
http://www. fao.org/docrep/014/a1982e/a1982e00.htm
19
II. Solutions to the problem
1. Immediate relief

Starting from 1995, North Korea made a formal request
for emergency assistance to the UN and immediately received
aids from a variety of the UN organizations. For example,
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been distributing
food to North Korea through the World Food Programme (WFP). In


2011/12, WFP provided 25,685 tonnes of food which is about
90% of all international food donations to North Korea.
Due to limited funding, WFP need to scale down the amount of food transferred
to North Korea.
However, such assistance is only short-term solution. The people in North Korea
should not only depend on direct food supply to solve their food problem.
2. Mitigation measures

In order to improve the agricultural productivity of North Korea, FAO has
conducted many projects to help to improve the farming methods and the
environmental conditions. This includes:
＊ Using biotechnology to enhance rice and maize breeding;
＊ Introducing high-yield soya bean varieties which can be used as edible oil and
provide protein in the diet;
＊ Improving fruit production;
＊ Protecting the ecological environment of agricultural lands;
＊ Promoting conservation agriculture through the application of minimal soil
disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations, as well as the adoption of
appropriate mechanization.

FAO also helps in monitoring the spread of disease and pests so that there will

not be widespread outbreak which will lower the agricultural productivity.
Seeds, fertilizers and plastic sheeting for protecting seedbeds are provided for
farmers. For example, the World Vision has introduced an organic fertilizer
project which has taken chicken manure from nearby factory farm to produce
organic fertilizers. These are sold to the farmers at cost price. Yields increased
by 20-30% after its use.
20
References:
1.
Famine in North Korea
http://asiasociety.org/policy/environment/water-and-food-security/famine-north-korea?page=0,
0
2.
Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations – Countries – Korea, Democratic
People’s Republic
http://www.fao.org/countries/55528/en/prk
3.
North Korea harvest improves
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/95179/icode
4.
North Korea: Spreading fertilizer and good news
http://www.wvi.org/wvi/wviweb.nsf/webmaindocs/9F603184F024C7F78825791100680E8?Op
enDocument
5.
Special Report FAO/WFP crop and food security assessment mission to the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea 25 November 2011
http://www. fao.org/docrep/014/a1982e/a1982e00.htm
21
Table 8: Food Deprivation
Item
1990-92
1995-97
2000-02
2006-08
Proportion of undernourishment (%)
38
40
29
25
Number of undernourished (millions)
3.8
4.7
3.8
3.6
Food deficit of undernourished
population (kcal/person/day)
270
280
250
205
Source: FAO
Table 9: Prevalence of underweight in children under five years (%)
Year
88-92
94-98
99-03
04-09
Percentage
45.4*
42.6
39.5
28.8
* indicates IFPRI estimates.
Source: IFPRI
Table 10: Under-five mortality rate (%)
Year
1990
0996
2001
2009
Percentage
11.7
11.6
10.4
8.8
Source: IFPRI
Table 11: Global Hunger Index (GHI)
Year
1990 (with data
from 88-92)
1996 (with data
from 94-98)
2001 (with data
from 99-03)
2011 (with data from
04-09)
GHI
31.7
31.4
26.3
19.9
GHI < 4.9 low; 5.0-9.9 moderate; 10.0-19.9 serious; 20.0-29.9 alarming; >30.0 extremely alarming
Source: IFPRI
22
Food problem in Cambodia


For the past decade, Cambodia has been self-sufficient in food
supply and could produce surpluses for export. However,
regional disparities and local food availability became a
problem when the country was struck by natural hazards.
Malnutrition is another problem. This is especially the case for
children under the age of five. In 2005, 37% and 36% of the
children under 5 years old are stunted and underweight
respectively.
I. Causes of famine
Natural causes:
1. Climate

It has a tropical monsoon climate with two distinct seasons: (i) the dry season
from November to April; and (ii) the wet season from May to October. In 2008,
more than 85% of rice production depends on annual rain. However, the reliability
of rainfall is low. Rainfall may come late and this will affect food security. There
may also be heavy monsoon rain in other times. For example, the severe monsoon
flooding in Mekong and Tonle Sap River Basins in late September / early October
2011 has affected some 1.5 million people and damaged over 400,000 hectares of
paddy crop.
2. Soil

The fertility of soil is poor in 50% of national agricultural lands. Poor soil without
the use of fertilizers makes the productivity low.
23
Human factors:
1. Poor infrastructure and farming management


The country not only suffers from water problems brought by the unreliable
rainfall, but also there is poorly engineered irrigation and water management
facilities. There are only two small dams in the country up till 2010.
There is a lack of affordable good quality inputs (seed, fertilizer and machinery)
to improve farming and agricultural support services such as farmer education and
training, and research are insufficient. Access to hazard information, such as
rainfall forecast, drought and flood warnings are inadequate.
2. Low technological level

Farms in Cambodia are characterized as small size and subsistence. They depend
heavily on natural rainfall and lack the technology to develop crop diversification.
So the chance of improving productivity is low.
3. Rising food prices

Rice is the main food staple in Cambodia. 2/3 of the total calorie intake comes
from rice. However, the price of rice has been increasing from 2000 to 2009. The
price of mix rice (low quality rice) increased by 22% between 2006 and 2007, by
101% between 2007 and 2008 and then decreased by 23% between 2008 and
2009. Although the price decreased between 2008 and 2009, it was still higher
than in previous year.
4. Poor economic condition

The economic development of the country is low. Therefore the source of income
of the people is unstable and limited to insecure economic activities.

The wages of the workers are low and they cannot afford to pay the high food
price.
24
References:
1. Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (2008). Strategic Framework for Food
Security and Nutrition in Cambodia (SFFSN) 2008-2012.
2. GIEWS Country Briefs
http://www.fao.org/giews/countrybrief/country.jsp?code=KHM&lang=en
3. Household level impacts of increasing food prices in Cambodia
http://www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1664e/i1664e.pdf
4. SD dimensions – Cambodia
http://www.fao.org/sd/WPdirect/WPre0106.htm
II. Solutions
Most measures taken by NGOs or the government are long-term which
help to sustain a stable production of food.
Mitigation measures
1. Government policy

The government has developed the Global Strategic Framework for Food
Security and Nutrition in Cambodia (GSFFSN) 2008-2012 which provide
guidelines and directions for policies concerning the improvement of food
security of the country.

Various ministries and government departments, development partners, NGOs
and the FAO are involved in the planning.

Priority actions have been planned to increase the food availability through
improvement in irrigation and water resources management, farm inputs and
technology. Other government departments tried to improve the economy of the
society so that people can have enough money to buy food. There will also be
the improvement in hazard management. However, all these are just plans and
there is no indications whether they have been implemented
25
2.
Irrigation and drainage development

The government has started the development of nation’s irrigation infrastructure
since the 1990s aiming at increasing crop yield, reducing the vulnerability to
drought, stabilizing the rice production potential and improving the national
food security.

In 2010, the government implemented the ‘Hegemonization of Irrigation System
Strategy’. The project was funded by a credit loan from China and the


3.
government of Cambodia. Once completed, the project will be capable of
irrigating over 49,000 ha of agricultural land.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2003 approved a loan to develop
irrigated agriculture to boost production in poor and neglected rural area of
northwest Cambodia.
There is also the development of well-designed flood control devices together
with irrigation facilities to enable drainage in times of flooding and irrigation in
the dry season.
Technical and financial support


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Technical and financial support has been given by the FAO (Food and
Agriculture Organization) which focused on water management, crop
diversification and intensification, and farming constraints analysis. Training is
given to farmers and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture on these aspects. For
example, FAO has educated farmers to plant vegetables and engaged in
small-scale aquaculture activities as a way to diversify production.
FAO launched a Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project in 2008 to
provide rice seed and fertilizers to 2800 rural farming families in the north of
Cambodia.
FAO has also helped in supporting research in reducing disease, improving
animal health and promoting biosecurity in poultry and duck production. This
can ensure and maintain the level of farm productivity.
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References:
1. Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (2008). Strategic Framework for Food
Security and Nutrition in Cambodia (SFFSN) 2008-2012.
2. AQUASTAT – FAO’s Information System on Water and Agriculture – Cambodia
http://www.fao.org/nr/water/aquastat/countries_regions/cambodia/index.stm
3. FAO and emergencies: Cambodia
http://fao.org/emergencies/country-information/list/asia/cambodia/en/
4. Food and Agriculture Organization
http://www.fao.org
5. FAO Initiative Soaring Food Prices
http://www.fao.org/isfp/country-information/cambodia/en/
6. SD dimensions – Cambodia
http://www.fao.org/sd/WPdirect/WPre0106.htm
7. Special Programme for Food Security: Cambodia
http://www.fao.org/spfs/about-spfs/success-spfs/cambodia/en/
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