Battambang Province Continues Irrigation Water Supply for Drought-Stricken Rice Crops

In Battambang Province, western Cambodia, efforts are underway to address the severe drought impacting rice cultivation. On July 28, 2026, Governor Sok Lu, accompanied by technical officials and authorities, inspected the water status at the Battambang Multi-purpose Reservoir (Sek Sak) and the Kampong Puoy irrigation system. He also reviewed water supply operations for rice rescue in Thma Kol and Banan districts, as well as water pumping for drought relief in Bavet district. Governor Sok Lu stated that approximately 130,000 hectares of rice fields across the province have been affected by the drought. Interventions to rescue over 70,000 hectares have been achieved, with ongoing efforts to provide further assistance. He noted that the Kampong Puoy Reservoir, which has a capacity of around 140 million cubic meters, currently holds only about 4 million cubic meters. All available water is being supplied to rescue rice crops according to technical specifications. The provincial governor pledged to continue interventions to supply water and rescue rice crops to the best of their ability. He instructed the Provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology to focus on managing and distributing water to farmers equitably and transparently. Farmer communities utilizing the Kampong Puoy irrigation system expressed their gratitude to the provincial leadership for their direct intervention and water supply efforts that have significantly aided in rescuing their crops. These efforts are being implemented in accordance with the high recommendations of Prime Minister Hun Manet, Senior Minister and First Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management Kun Kim, as well as leaders from the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Governor Sok Lu and relevant departments have been engaging directly with farmers and continuously monitoring the distribution of water for rice rescue. This demonstrates the high attention paid by the Royal Government and provincial authorities to resolving the challenges faced by farmers.