Cambodia Faces Severe Rice Crop Damage Due to Water Shortage; Disaster Management Committee Pledges Support

Severe water shortages have caused devastating damage to rice cultivation in Poipet province, western Cambodia. On July 27, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice-Chairman of the National Committee for Disaster Management, Kun Kim, inspected the situation of farmers' rice crop damage due to water scarcity and the status of irrigation water gates in Chamkar Loeu village, Beng Khnar commune, Bakan district. According to the on-site inspection, among the various districts in Poipet province, Bakan district has suffered the most extensive damage. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that due to the insufficient capacity of irrigation water gates, it is difficult for farmers' rice crops to recover in the short term. In response to this situation, Deputy Prime Minister Kun Kim spoke about rescue principles and measures to restore rice cultivation by providing rice seeds from the government's reserves to farmers. He added that Prime Minister Hun Manet has strictly instructed relevant ministries and institutions to cooperate in intervening with water from all irrigation systems to the fullest extent possible, and that necessary measures are also being taken to assist farmers with water pumping. During the visit, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the provincial administration and relevant departments to cooperate in collecting accurate data on the impacts and damages. Specifically, for rice cultivation areas in other regions where water intervention can be resolved, he urged them to assess and determine rescue measures for the farmers. Poipet province has six cities and districts affected by rice crop damage, with Bakan district experiencing the most severe damage, totaling 6,908 hectares of paddy fields. Source: CPP Cambodia