Cambodia Welcomes USG Initiative on Agriculture Development

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000433 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS, EEB/TPP/MTAA/ABT JANET SPECK, GARY CLEMENTS, DON MORTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR EAID PREL CB SUBJECT: Cambodia Welcomes USG Initiative on Agriculture Development and Food Security REF: STATE 58996 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED ¶1. (SBU) Post delivered reftel talking points and the five principles to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via diplomatic note June 12. Econoff and USAID officer June 15 delivered reftel demarche to Ngy Chanphal, Second Vice-Chairman of the Council for Agriculture and Rural Development and Secretary of State, Ministry of Interior. ¶2. (SBU) Mr. Ngy welcomed the U.S. global initiative, and the commitment to country-led processes in particular. He explained that the seven key areas for investment complimented the Royal Government of Cambodia's (RGC) strategy for promoting agriculture development and food security. ¶3. (SBU) He acknowledged that food security is a significant problem in Cambodia, where it is estimated that twenty percent of the rural population is landless, and twenty-five percent of those with land have less than 0.5 hectares -- too small a plot to provide sufficient food for a family. (NOTE: These estimates are based on a 2008 Cambodia Development Research Institute (CDRI) survey, "Impact of High Food Prices in Cambodia," which surveyed 2,235 households and found respondents' unconfirmed self-reporting showed that 21.1 percent are landless, and 23.4 percent hold less than half a hectare of land. End Note.) Access to food, in addition to production and availability, is a key challenge facing Cambodia's rural poor. When informed that USAID is planning to develop in consultation with the RGC an agriculture development and food security program, Mr. Ngy was pleased that the U.S. is planning to take an active role in this important field. RODLEY