2024, Volume 27, Paper 4
ISSN: 2209-6612

The Cassava Value Chain in Cambodia: Challenges and Opportunities of Smallholder Growers

Saiyann Thong – Postgraduate Student, The Centre for Global Food and Resources, University of Adelaide

Abstract

In Cambodia, cassava is the third most important agricultural commodity after rice and rubber. Almost one million households are involved in this production sector. It is a source of income generation for smallholders and contributes to Gross Domestic Product. The production areas dramatically increase every year. However, this industry has some challenges due to market price variations, lack of market diversification, heavy reliance on export markets, and lack of domestic processing facilities to produce value-added products. Moreover, cassava producers also have high production costs and lack market power, and widespread diseases and climate change significantly impact productivity. In addition, due to poor infrastructure and transportation, high costs of production and post-harvest losses have a significant effect on the returns of the producers. To address these issues, the government could invest in building a better market structure and improving multistakeholder support, while also encouraging investment in domestic processing plants, which could help in creating value addition for cassava products. Also, the government could, via the extension service, provide more technical support training on production management and post-harvest processes to improve cassava value.

Key words: Cassava, Cambodia, value chain, high input costs, markets

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