Master Research Proposal

Research Proposal
Research Topic: Optimal techniques to improve rice yield in Cambodia

I. Research Questions
Are agricultural techniques in rice production of Cambodia nowadays satisfactory?
Should it be considered to find more promising techniques to provide high productivity? How
well do farmers in Cambodia respond to the current practices? To what extent do farmers
understand the benefits of optimal techniques in rice production? What are the optimal
techniques currently used in rice production of Japan? Is it possible to implement rice production
techniques from Japan in Cambodia? To answer the aforementioned questions, this research is
done aiming at three different objectives, 1) to study the optimal techniques currently practiced
by Cambodian farmers, 2) to learn good practices in rice production of Japan, and 3) to compare
the potential of the techniques from both countries and learn if techniques used in Japan can be
adapted in Cambodia.
Rice is the staple food of Cambodia and, considering food security, it is most important
field crop today (H.J. Nesbitt, 1997). In 2003, agriculture accounted for 34% of Cambodias
gross domestic product and employed about 65% of its total workforce. Despite its importance
and potential, however, the agriculture sector had sluggish and widely fluctuating growth in the
1990s because of its heavy dependence on rain-fed rice cultivation. Of total cropped area of
about 2.6 million hectares, 90% (2.4 million ha) accounted for rice in 2000. Of this only 16%
was irrigated (ADB, 2011). On average, rice yield is 2.97 tons/ha (V. Seng, 2011). Because rice
crop is playing a significant role in supporting agriculture sector of Cambodia, its yield should be
higher and more preferable.
Rice-based farming systems have been the backbone of Cambodias agriculture, with a
long history and rice remains the dominant crop even today (CDRI, 2011). The rice ecosystem is
divided into four types. Rain-fed lowland accounts for about 58 percent of the rice area, and
upland occupies 2 percent. Flood-prone land represents about 32 percent. Dry season irrigated
land covers 8 percent (Economic Institute of Cambodia, 2004).
According to Y. Bingxin and F. Shenggen, 2009, suggested that rice in Cambodia is
mainly produced in the wet season, which accounts for more than 75 percent of total paddy
output.

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In September and October 2011, Cambodia was affected by one of the worst floods since
2000. It affected over 1.5 million people, displacing 214,000 as well as causing the loss of 247
lives (FAO/WFP, 2012). The floods also had a significant impact on the agricultural sector,
damaging over 400 000 hectares of paddy fields as well as transport and agricultural
infrastructure, including irrigation systems (FAO/WFP, 2012).
In accordance with the report of MAFF of Japan, 2007, it is shown yield index of rice of
Japan is projected as 99 with a yield per 10a as an estimated 523kg. And in 2010, rice harvested
yield in Japan of brown rice is 522 kg/10a (S. Shigeto, 2011). Taking a look at this figure, rice
yield in Japan is much higher than Cambodia. Therefore, it is absolutely a good lesson to learn
from Japan and try to implement in Cambodia, where possible.

II.

Literature Review
The Historical Importance of Rice
Rice has supported a greater number of people for a longer period of time than any other

crop. Somewhere around 8000-10,000 years ago it was first domesticated and cultivated. The
ability to produce a surplus beyond the immediate needs of the producers, which followed
perhaps 1000 years later, made possible the initial development of the communities from which
the great population centers of Asia arose. Kingdoms and empires based on rice subsequently
flourished in China, Indo-China, and India. Rice cultivation spread east into Japan, southwards
through the Southeast Asian archipelago and westwards to Madagascar and the Middle East
(CAB INTERNATIONAL, 1997).
Cambodias condition
Cambodia has a population of approximately 12 million, with 80% of people located in
rural areas. Poverty is a major problem, related to poor education levels, low incomes and
landlessness. Cambodia is still in a rebuilding phase following the rule of Pol Pot and the Khmer
Rouge. Agriculture has been identified as the first priority in Government policy, and this has led
to the establishment of Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in
August 1999. Agricultural production in Cambodia contributes 40% of the GNP. However,
Cambodias economy is still weak compared to other Southeast Asian countries. Cambodia was
an exporter of rice until the late 60s and has been in a food deficit for the past three decades.
Returns from agriculture are primarily derived from rice (3000 tonnes of rice produced in 2000)
and, to a lesser extent, corn, beans, fisheries, and livestock (CRC, 2000).
Rice-based farming systems in Cambodia incorporate rain-fed lowland rice, dry season
rice in some cases, early wet season rice in some cases, animal production (cattle, pigs, chicken,
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and ducks), fishing (or fish culture) and other activities (such as palm sugar production,
vegetable production, wild food collection and trade). The type of farming system selected by
farmers varies from household to household, because it is generally based on the principal
economic objectives and constraints faced. All these activities sustain and support rice
production, which is a way of life for Cambodian farmers and farm households (S. Mak, 2001).

Constraints to production
Constraints to rice production in Cambodia include:
-

Absence of clear policy framework

Undeveloped market for rice and other food crops

Barrier to export growth, eg low crop productivity

Institutional problems and financial constraints

Pests (rats and brown plant hopper)

Weeds

Poor soils

Water shortages are becoming more important than food shortages.

Cambodias Paddy Production in 2011/2012

The majority of farm households are engaged in rice production. The most important
rice-growing areas include the provinces of Prey Veng, Takeo and Kampong Cham in the South
East; Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Siem Reap in the North West and Kampong Thom in
the Centre. In normal years, these provinces account for approximately 65 percent of the
aggregate national production. The main wet season for rice generally spans from June to
February. The wet seasons aggregate national paddy production, which depends entirely on rain
fall is estimated to account for 76 percent of the annual paddy production and about 84 percent
of planted paddy area in 2011/2012.
The national paddy production for 2011/2012, including the early estimate for the current
minor season (dry season), is estimated at a record level of 8.78 million tonnes, some 6.4 percent
above the bumper crop of 8.25 million tonnes achieved in 2010/2011. The floods reduced the
area harvested. However, an increase in yields more than compensated the reduced area
harvested, resulting in the increase in total paddy production of the wet season by 2.3 percent
over the same season last year. The yield increase was mainly due to the overall favorable
rainfall throughout the country and increased use of fertilizer and improved seeds.
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The secondary season (dry season) generally starts in November and concludes in April.
Over the years, the share of the area planted to the dry season paddy in the annual total has
steadily increased from about 11 percent during late 1990s to about 16 percent currently.
Similarly, the contribution of data from MAFF the 2011/12 dry season paddy production is
estimated at 2.1 million tonnes from an area of 471 960 hectares (FAO/WFP, 2012).
Rice in Japan
Rice, the traditional staple food of Japan, is grown throughout the countrys main islands.
Production is almost exclusively on specially laid out rice paddies, where summer rains and an
extensive network of irrigation facilities provide abundant water. Almost all rice is japonica a
short-grain variety widely grown in Northeast Asia. Income from rice farming is about 25
percent of Japans total agricultural income, and almost Japanese farmers derive part of their
income from rice, either by raising rice or contracting out paddy land for rice growing (USDA,
2003). Toriyama K et al, 2005 suggested that rice is the starting point of Japanese food culture.

III.

Key Dissertation Questions

1. What are the optimal techniques in rice production of Cambodia?

2. Are farmers fulfilled with it? Should it be improved in the future to gain higher
productivity?
3. What are the optimal techniques currently used in rice production of Japan?
4. Can agricultural techniques employed in rice production of Japan be adapted in
Cambodia?
5. What will happen when agricultural techniques from Japan are introduced in Cambodia?

IV.

Methodology

This research will take place in both Japan and Cambodia. In order to succeed in this
research, there are several steps which are needed to follow. Firstly, in Japan, case studies,
baseline surveys, and farmers interviews will be done to support objective of finding out the
currently practiced optimal techniques in rice production. This study will take around 4 months
to complete and summary of the finding and draft report of case studies will be done after it.
Also, I will take part in transplanting with local farmers in Japan in order to gain a better
understanding of rice production and their reactions to the current techniques. Secondly, another
part of research will be carried out in Cambodia to figure out the most optimal and favorable
techniques employed by local farmers in rice production. The study in Cambodia will take
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approximately 3 months to complete in interview with 75 households from three provinces,

namely Battambang, Kampong Thom and Takeo which is 25 households for each province. Both
stages relate with farmers interview; hence, properly designed questionnaires will be done and
the cooperation from the stakeholders at this stage is vitally important. And the last stage of this
research is to analyze the data gathered from the two countries. This will take one month to
complete because the comparison between the two proportions of data will be analyzed. This
study will cover only on main wet season rice because rice in Cambodia is mainly produced in
this season. Data which will be used to complete this research is broken into two types and
certain statistical analysis will be executed, too.

Primary Data
It is definitely essential to gather the primary data by means of interviewing local farmers
and stakeholders. To get as reliable data as possible, questionnaires will be carefully designed to
meet the objective of the study. Information to collect includes seed selection, land preparation,
transplanting, caring, fertilizer application, pest control and harvesting techniques. To fulfill the
objective, direct observation in the field is also included to gather primary data. In terms of
sample, a random selection will be performed; however, there will also be guidance from the
stakeholder such as Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) from Japan. Having
done that, I will be able to select the right target. In addition, the targets of this research are local
farmers practicing optimal techniques in rice production and several staff from MAFF in both
countries.
Secondary Data
For secondary data, it can be found from many sources and the documents which could
be considered are related with agricultural development especially rice production and farmers
awareness on the importance of optimal techniques in rice production.

Annual reports from MAFF of Cambodia and Japan will be collected and reviewed
to gain a basic understanding on agricultural sector in both countries.

The current policies on agricultural sectors published by MAFF of Cambodia and

Japan as well as by other institutions will be carefully accumulated and reviewed.

Online journal and findings are also necessary to meet the objective of the research.

Findings through research by previous researchers and scientists will be taken into
consideration. And a careful review will be done. In particular, in order to justify my
research, these sources of documents will be collected.

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Data Analysis Techniques

After collecting information by means of farmers interview, data will be inserted into
computer program. Certain statistical techniques will be used to identify the issue and to meet
the objective of the study. Since this study is aimed to describe the optimal techniques currently
employed by Cambodia and Japan, most data will be analyzed to figure out means and to explain
the process.

V. Dissertation and presentation

This is an important phase because finding from this research will be raised for comments
and feedbacks to make it good and acceptable. There will be a presentation within some
universities to gain constructive feedbacks on this research. Then it will be finalized and as a
result be published. The result of this result will be shared with policy makers, researchers and
agronomists.

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