Cambodia: Discovering agricultural know-how in Phnom Kulen Park

From August 23 to 25, 2024, the small family farms of Phnom Kulen opened their doors and shared their agro-ecological know-how. These visits were organized by Agrisud International and its partner ADF*, as part of a wider strategy to bring the tourism and agricultural sectors closer together.

A desire to turn agriculture into a tourist attraction

At a press conference held on August 23, the Vice-Governor for Tourism, H.E. Mr. NGOV Sengkak, told the press that “local organic farming is a pillar of tourism, because it provides hotels and restaurants with fresh, quality produce. If we can do this in a sustainable way, it will help local people considerably. This aims to reduce local poverty through the agriculture and tourism sectors”.

In the presence of the Director of the Provincial Department of Commerce, Mr. PHOEUN Kimly, the program for the 2 days of visits and sharing was then presented. The creation of an agro-tourism activity aims to boost Siem Reap's economy by promoting local artisanal agricultural production. The aim is to create new opportunities for family farms to improve their incomes and fight food insecurity.

Farm visits to promote sustainable agriculture

Cambodia has a rich cultural heritage linked to its agricultural traditions, particularly in the Phnom Kulen massif.

Over the course of 2 days, participants visited farms offering the opportunity to discover the work of the “Green Farmers”, a collective committed to agro-ecology. They develop a range of products including pepper and black ginger, aloe vera juice and rice alcohol.

The tour took visitors through the various stages of production, processing and marketing.

Finally, the tastings at the end of the tours and the menus specially prepared for the occasion by the Cambodian Chefs' Association allowed visitors to appreciate the quality and flavor of these local products grown using agro-ecological methods.

Building on the success of this initiative, other events are already scheduled. At the end of September, the commune of Khun Ream will host a meeting dedicated to the distillation of essential oils.

Find out more about the IADA project

*Visit organized as part of the IADA project financed by the Agence Française de Développement and the Hauts-de-Seine department, among others.

A French Michelin-starred chef visits Agrisud's operations in Cambodia

As part of an exchange visit, Chef Eric Berrigaud from SOFITEL in Siem Reap (Cambodia) invited Michelin-starred Chef Mathieu Boutroy from Les Cerisiers restaurant in Lille (France) to discover the region's culinary heritage.

One of the highlights of his stay was a visit to a family farm in the commune of Krabei Riel, a member of the Green Farmers.

Chef Mathieu Boutroy was able to appreciate the hard work and dedication of both men and women farmers in their desire to reconcile productivity and low environmental pressure, for better sustainable management of resources.

Sofitel, which sources its produce from Green Farmers, is committed to sustainability. This collaboration shows how gastronomy can support sustainable development, while offering customers authentic cuisine that respects the environment.