Amru Rice, Cambodia Agriculture Cooperative Corporation (CACC), and the Cambodia Rice Federation (CRF), supported by Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED), co-hosted here late last week the 5th Sustainable Agri-Food Conference in Cambodia under the theme “Growing a Better Cambodia: Sustainable Food Innovations and Transformations.”

The conference was presided over by Va Rothsan, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Commerce, with high presence from Dr. Kao Thach, Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia, CEO of Agricultural and Rural Development Bank; Dr. Mey Kalyan, Senior Advisor, Supreme National Economic Council, Board Chairman of CACC; Ms. Kirsty Harris, Head of Development Cooperation of the Australian Embassy; Oknha Chan Sokheang, CRF President; Oknha Song Saran, CEO of Amru Rice, Co-founder of CACC, and Board Chairman of CRF; and with approximately350 participants from relevant stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

The conference aimed to promote innovative, resilient, and sustainable agricultural practices by bringing together national and international experts from the private sector, government, and development partners, according to a press release issued on April 1.

Insight sharing and discussions focused on food quality compliance, market access and current trends, financing mechanisms with a particular emphasis on Green Climate Financing and decarbonization, as well as the integration of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in public-private partnerships for sustainable food security.

“The 2025 iteration of the summit continues to deepen partnerships and collaborations with our farmers, supply chain stakeholders and customers. We bring our growers closer to markets and ensure they have a livelihood that extends beyond rice cultivation,” said Amru Rice CEO and Founder Oknha Song Saran.

CACC Chairman of the Board, Kalyan said that the Cambodian agricultural system is transforming towards producing high-standard food accepted in international markets. This requires all players in this system to share a common vision and work together in a coordinated manner, in order to increase the income of producers, facilitate their businesses, and promote social harmony.

To achieve this, we need to incorporate ESG criteria into our production system. “ We need to make every effort to explain this concept in a clear and simple Khmer language to our Khmer producers,” he said.

CRF President Oknha Chan Sokheang said that sustainable Agri-Food, including sustainable rice production, is the crucial step for Cambodian agricultural products to meet market demands and mitigate climate change.

“The Sustainable Agri-Food Conference 2025 will showcase the commitment of Cambodian stakeholders and collect input into strategies to encourage the rice industry and other related agriculture to adopt sustainable practices in Cambodia,” he said.

The conference addressed pressing global issues including the increasing demands of international markets, compliance with evolving regulations, and the imperative to adopt regenerative practices that enhance soil health and biodiversity.

At the same time, Amru Rice and CACC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Preah Vihear Meanchey Union of Agricultural Cooperate on cooperation in protection and conservation and low-carbon implementation of organic production, a MoU with the Battambang Union Agricultural Cooperative on the development of a standard rice supply chain for Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Rice Production for 5 years (2025-2030), a MoU with the Development and Partnership for Action in Northeastern of Cambodia, and a MoU with Farmers and Nature Network in the Kravanh Mountain Region. AKP

Published Date: April 3, 2025