Assessing Land Suitability for Crop Diversification in Cambodia and Australia

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Project Outline

Despite the achievement of rice self-sufficiency in 1995 and modest surpluses since, poverty alleviation remains the priority goal for agricultural development in Cambodia. Opportunities for poverty alleviation in Cambodian agriculture are emerging in diversification from traditional wet season lowland rice (Oryza sativa) production to double cropped, rice based production systems and to upland cropping. Crop diversification is a potential means of poverty alleviation by stimulating increased income for farm households or improving nutritional well-being of household members. The potential for double-cropping rice-based production is high given the widespread abundant shallow groundwater resources in the lowlands of Cambodia. Similarly, there are relatively large areas of land available for the expansion of upland cropping especially since the establishment of improved security in rural Cambodia. The aim of this project is to assess land suitability for non-rice crops in double-cropped lowland rice production systems and for field crops in uplands to facilitate crop diversification with benefits for poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability.

The main outcomes of this research will be increased adoption of crop diversification in Cambodian leading to poverty alleviation and/or increased household incomes.

*Image from NASA's Geocover ™ Landsat Image Archive