Cambodia Rescues 100,000 Hectares of Rice Fields Amid El Niño Drought

Climate-resilient vegetable nursery in Cambodia. (FAO)

On July 21, Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) announced that it has successfully alleviated catastrophic 100,000-hectare crop failure attributed to an intense El Niño.

During an El Niño event, the east-to-west trade winds weaken or reverse, disrupting global weather patterns and triggering severe droughts. For the Southeast Asia region, agricultural shocks are highly immediate.

According to NDCM spokesman Soth Kimkolmony, the climate phenomenon has severely impacted rice fields across seven provinces. NCDM’s data reveals that Battambang bears the brunt of the dry spell with 62,554 hectares of rice fields affected. Other hard-hit regions include Siem Reap and Pursat, both hovering around 19,000 hectares, followed by Banteay Meanchey (7,032 hectares) and Ratanakiri (4,200 hectares). Minimal impact was recorded in Kampong Thom (191 hectares) and Kampong Cham (63 hectares), where actual crop destruction was limited to just 22 hectares.

“We have not experienced any serious damage, only minor losses. The provinces most affected are Battambang and Banteay Meanchey,” Kimkolmony said.

In tandem with the NCDM, the Ministry of Water Resources has reportedly orchestrated strategic measures to tackle water shortages.

Kimkolmony explained that “this year, El Niño is more severe than usual,” as studies indicate the incoming El Niño threatens to break records, potentially spiking global temperatures by 2°C. Therefore the spokesman urged citizens and local authorities to “conserve water and use it efficiently while the ministry stands ready with personnel and equipment to respond”.