Cambodia Drought Hits 290,000 Hectares of Rice; Over Half Rescued

Cambodia is facing a severe drought that has impacted nearly 290,000 hectares of rice across eight provinces. However, authorities and relevant institutions have intervened, successfully rescuing over half of the affected crops. Recent rainfall in the past few days has eased the situation, with rice in many areas showing signs of recovery. According to Mr. Suth Kimkun Mony, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), as of July 30, 2026, the drought has affected eight provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Kampong Chhnang, and Pailin, with a total of 289,855 hectares of rice cultivation affected. He stated that to date, intervention through water distribution and pumping to rescue rice has been achieved on approximately 147,273 hectares, gradually alleviating the impact. "Thanks to the pumping intervention by the Ministry of Water Resources, in cooperation with the authorities and citizens, as well as the rainfall in recent days, rice in many areas has begun to grow again. Overall, we expect to overcome this drought season," he said. However, he acknowledged that some rice crops may not yield as expected due to water shortages during their growth period. Nevertheless, authorities have managed to save most of the rice from severe damage and will continue to assess the recovery rate. According to the expert, if there is additional rainfall and support from irrigation systems, Cambodia can overcome the drought crisis this year. In response to the impact on the agricultural sector, approximately 10 inter-ministerial bodies convened a joint meeting on July 28, 2026. The meeting was led by Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice-Chairman of the NCDM, Mr. Kun Kim, to formulate urgent measures to protect and rescue rice crops affected by drought and floods. The meeting was attended by representatives from relevant ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, the National Food Reserve System Committee of Cambodia, and the General Command of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. Concurrently, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr. Dith Tina, inspected the actual situation in the affected areas to assess the extent of the impact and review the arrangements for rescuing rice crops. He affirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture is closely cooperating with all relevant parties to restore production and help farmers continue their cultivation. It is noteworthy that this year's drought is attributed to the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, which has caused increased temperatures and water scarcity, affecting the livelihoods of citizens and the agricultural sector in several regions.