Commune agricultural officers play a crucial role in boosting production, enhancing the quality of agricultural products, and facilitating marketing for farmers. By 2025, 1,000 commune agricultural officers will be deployed across all 25 provinces and capitals of Cambodia.
Yang Saing Koma, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), stated in a video produced by the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday.
He noted that, in general, the commune agricultural officers coordinate communication between farmers and relevant stakeholders regarding production and marketing.
Their tasks are guided by five key responsibilities, including (1) identifying the key challenges faced by farmers, (2) reporting farmers’ issues, (3) supporting the timely implementation of solutions for farmers, (4) facilitating coordination aimed at connecting and strengthening agricultural communities, and (5) collecting and maintaining agricultural statistics at the commune level.
“However, the Minister of Agriculture, Dith Tina, has streamlined the duties to two main priorities: firstly, to serve farmers in the best possible way, and secondly, to collect accurate data for the ministry to support farmers and promote agricultural development as a whole,” Koma said.
“To effectively fulfil these responsibilities and tasks, we require commune agricultural officers with a high level of expertise. A critical skill they must possess is coordination, often referred to as a soft skill, including communication, teaching, explaining, guiding farmers, and coordinating with relevant stakeholders.”
According to Koma, recently, the Ministry of Agriculture has focused on enhancing coordinating skills, particularly in relation to market engagement. Navigating the market requires expertise in coordinating communication between farmers, managing production and supply plans, and liaising with service providers, transporters, buyers, and rice milling factories.
Koma emphasised that the role of these officers extends beyond simply increasing production; they also work to help farmers reduce costs while promoting environmental sustainability.
The initial deployment of these officers requires orientation and training. Therefore, the ministry is adopting a phased approach, beginning with 250 commune agricultural officers, and as they become proficient, the outreach department will take over the programme.
In subsequent phases, the ministry will add 1,000 more officers, further strengthening their capabilities. Later, an additional 350 officers will be brought in, necessitating further orientation efforts.
Regarding this, Koma said that upon completion of this process, there will be a large team of approximately 1,600 officers serving across the entire country.
Prime Minister Hun Manet has stated that commune agricultural officials are established to support farmers, and the government provides opportunities for young people to serve the community. It is time for officials to serve the public and be accountable.
“Deploying agricultural technical officers in every commune is essential because farmers need technology to remain competitive. Therefore, having technicians on the ground is crucial. While some organisations have provided assistance in the past, it has been insufficient. It is necessary to encourage commune agricultural officials to ensure that every commune engaged in agricultural activity receives proper support,” said Mr Hun Manet.
He emphasised that in rural areas, agriculture does not refer solely to rice; even around Phnom Penh, which forms a green belt, agriculture plays a significant role. The Premier encourages the development of this green belt to grow agricultural products that support the tourism sector, rather than relying on imports of vegetables, in line with the government’s policy.
- Tags: farmers in marketing, improve product quality
