Agricultural weather alerts boost resilience and yields for Cambodian farmers

Cambodian farmers face an uncertain future. In a region known as the northern Tonle Sap Basin, rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall, and other climate change-related weather events have made it harder to produce rice, cashew, mango and other cash crops with traditional farming practices.

Farmers living around Tonle Sap Lake – Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater body and vital area for agriculture and fisheries – have already seen these changes firsthand.

“We depend on natural weather for farming, but now the seasons are unreliable,” said Kong Sophea, a farmer from the Kouy minority in Preah Vihear province. “Last year, there was less rain, and our rice yield dropped while pests and weeds thrived. It’s hard to make a living like this.”

To help smallholder farmers like Sophea adapt, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Cambodia launched an ambitious, 6-year, $43 million project, with the financial support of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – the world’s largest climate fund.

Sophea at her agricultural cooperative office, where she actively participates as a member, and a meteorological station in one of the target provinces, where the FAO-led, GCF-funded PEARL project is enhancing weather forecast accuracy for farmers. Photo credits: ©FAO, ©FAO/Somalin Chea.  

The initiative – known as the Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihoods in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL) project – aims to enhance the climate resilience of agricultural production in the region.

One of the PEARL project’s key strategies is to improve weather forecasts and make meteorological data more useful for farmers. In partnership with the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MoWRAM), the project is upgrading meteorological stations in target provinces to provide more accurate local weather predictions.

Bulletins for better yields

In 2024, the project achieved a major milestone, introducing a monthly agrometeorological bulletin to keep farmers up-to-date on the latest weather forecasts so they can take action and maintain crop yields.

Using Telegram, Facebook, and other social media channels, the bulletin provides detailed updates on rainfall, sunlight, heat accumulation, and climate projections. It also offers specific farming advice for crops like cashew, organic rice, mango, and leafy vegetables.

“We are strengthening smallholders’ resilience to climate change by improving access to markets and equipping farmers with tools to increase productivity while reducing their vulnerability,” stated Meas Pyseth, Cambodia’s Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), and the National Project Director.

FAO Representative in Cambodia, Rebekah Bell, highlighted the broader goal. “We are helping small-scale farmers grow high-value commercial crops. Beyond access to resources, the focus is on improving market prospects and ensuring that farmers can maximize their yields while reducing climate-related risks.”

An aerial view of a community in the project target area where farmers are adapting to climate change with the FAO-led, GCF-funded PEARL project, and a rice field during the growing season. Photo credit: © FAO/Pisey Khun.  

Hope for a more resilient future

As climate change continues to challenge Cambodia’s agricultural sector, initiatives like PEARL are playing a crucial role in ensuring that farmers not only survive but thrive. The project aims to reach over 450,000 farmers and value chain actors, combining scientific advancements with local knowledge to drive long-term sustainability.

For farmers like Kong Sophea, the project offers hope. “With the new tools and knowledge, we can better prepare for the future, protect our crops, and secure a stable livelihood for our families” said Sophea.

The work continues, and so does the promise of a stronger, more resilient agricultural sector – one that will keep Cambodian farmers at the heart of the country’s food security and economic growth.