The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide a USD 250 million loan for the Cambodian Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology to develop agriculture.

The information was announced at a meeting between Cambodian Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology Lum Kien Hor and ADB’s Water Resources Specialist for South East Asia Raza Farrukh in Phnom Penh on September 14.

A farmer working in a rice paddy field in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: Reuters

The loan, to be provided for projects on upgrading and modernizing irrigation systems and water management from 2018-2028, is expected to promote stable agricultural production and economic development, Farrukh said.

The funding is also expected to help local governments, communities and farmers to better manage their water resources, with focus on usage and maintenance of irrigational canal networks.

Cambodia produces over 9 million tons of rice per year, of which over 3 million tons are for export.

The country’s agricultural production is dependent on natural elements with traditional cultivation techniques.

However, the sector has maintained stable growth in recent years, helping turn the country into one of the world’s largest rice exporters.

Source: VNA