Cambodia Launches Climate-Based Agricultural Advisory System to Deal with Climate Risks
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia has launched its first climate-based agricultural advisory system, the Cambodia Agrometeorological Service (CAS), to help farmers deal with climate risks by providing weather-based guidance for specific crops.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MoWRAM) launched the CAS on Jan. 30 as part of efforts to strengthen climate resilience and promote digital agriculture.
The CAS platform provides weather forecasts and recommends suitable key crops for farmers including mangoes, cashews, organic rice and leafy vegetables.
CAS is also one of the main outputs of the PEARL Project, which is funded by the Green Climate Fund and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Meas Pyseth, secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture and project director of the PEARL Project, said that cooperation between the two ministries to provide weather information can help address climate-related challenges faced by most small farmers.
Pyseth added that farmers need to understand how to use CAS to benefit from farming at the right time. “Strong cooperation and data sharing among stakeholders are essential, as agrometeorological advisory services help smallholder farmers reduce climate-related risks and achieve real impact,” he said.
Oeurng Chantha, undersecretary of state at MoWRAM, pointed out that the application is user-friendly and provides high-quality data including weather forecasts, seasonal updates and early warnings. The system should be easy to use and scalable across videos, mobile applications and voice messages, he said, adding that there is a need to collect feedback from farmers and regularly update the system to ensure efficiency.
Rebekah Bell, representative of FAO Cambodia, said that when CAS provides science-based advisories, farmers can make cost-efficient decisions that encourage behavioral change and benefit both farmers and the environment. “As part of Cambodia’s digital agriculture transformation, CAS supports more sustainable, profitable, and climate-resilient smallholder farming,” she said.
Soda Thai, a vegetable farmer from Siem Reap province, said that climate change has affected her farm productivity, increased pest infestations, and caused more crop diseases.
“Through CAS under the PEARL Project, our cooperative now uses natural pesticides and neem oil, taking preventive action one to three weeks before pest outbreaks,” she said. “This has helped protect our crops and incomes.”
CAS is being rolled out in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin and is currently available in Oddar Meanchey, Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, and Siem Reap provinces. The service is available in Khmer and English, and can be accessed via a website, mobile application, and messaging platforms.