Share this page

Date released
20 March 2025

For generations, communities in northeastern Cambodia have thrived by relying on wild plants for food and medicine. ACIAR is supporting an innovative research project that highlights the significant benefits of these plants. Scientists and local experts are collaborating to document these advantages while respecting cultural traditions and addressing malnutrition. 

As agricultural demands on forests increase, this important research empowers stakeholders to develop policies that protect the environment and align development with conservation efforts. This initiative represents a hopeful step toward global health, sustainability and conservation.

Roots of resilience: How wild plants sustain Cambodian families

Cambodia has 73 protected areas covering 7.2 million hectares (17.8 million acres), representing about 41% of the country's total land area. Communities living near these protected areas receive multi-dimensional benefits from the forests, gaining access to food, fruits, vegetables and other resources for generations.

harvesting resin
Dr Todd Sanderson, ACIAR Research Program Manager witnesses the traditional way of harvesting resin from large trees in a protected forest zone.
Resin extract
Resin is extracted from large trees and is used in various products, including boat-sealing wax and traditional torches.
Mrs Khueang Lieng
Mrs Khueang Lieng , a representative from a forest community, shared her knowledge about forests with the ACIAR research team.
Mr Chuet Thom
Mr Chuet Thom spots a forest plant that local people usually use as medicine during his trip to a protected forest zone with ACIAR researchers to document the benefits of those plants.

‘Whenever I see the forest, it reminds me of my father,’ reflected Mr Chuet Thom, a forest ranger from the Kavet Indigenous community, illustrating his deep connection to the forest. For over three decades, he has explored these ecosystems, passing down his knowledge of the forest's resources to future generations. Similarly, Mrs Khueang Lieng, from the indigenous Kouy community in Stung Treng Province, relies on the forest for her livelihood. She and her husband sustainably harvest resin from large trees, a practice passed down from her in-laws. ‘My husband owns about 600 large trees, allowing us to harvest resin throughout the year,’ she said. This traditional practice provides valuable income. The resin is used in products ranging from boat-sealing wax to traditional torches.

Both Mr Thom and Mrs Lieng are sharing their expertise with a team of Cambodian researchers, supported by ACIAR. Together, they are documenting the medicinal and nutritional values of wild plants, a crucial resource for communities like his.

Uncovering hidden nutrition: A scientific look at Cambodia's wild plants

Since 2023, ACIAR has invested nearly A$1 million into a research project led by the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Cambodia, investigating the role of forest plants in the diets and health of people living in the rural provinces of Ratanakiri and Stung Treng in northeastern Cambodia. The research team has collected around 200 plant samples from 20 villages located near protected forests, collaborating with local communities, including Mr Thom and Mrs Lieng. The researchers aim to compare the nutritional and chemical compositions of forest plants with those of agricultural plants.

Ratanakiri local market
In a local market in Ratanakiri province, some forest vegetables and plants are sold alongside vegetables grown in agricultural zones.
forest vegetables
In a local market in Ratanakiri province, some forest vegetables and plants are sold alongside vegetables grown in agricultural zones.
pumpkin leaves
Community members collect pumpkin leaves from their plants near protected forests and pack them in indigenous bamboo baskets to sell at a local market.

‘Our next step is to analyse these collected wild plant samples to understand their contribution to the nutritional intake of children and communities,’ explained project leader Dr Kimchhin Sok, RUA Dean of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development. This research, supported by partnerships with laboratories in Australia and the United States, will provide the team with comprehensive data about the nutritional and medicinal properties of these wild plants.

‘We expect to create a scientific database of plants that have high nutritional values, medicinal properties, and income potential for local communities,’ said Dr Todd Sanderson, ACIAR Research Program Manager for Social Systems. ‘These findings will be invaluable for Cambodia to improve their conservation efforts and policy development, helping to prevent malnutrition and promote sustainable conservation.’

Balancing development and forest conservation: A One Health approach

This research, grounded in the ‘One Health’ concept, recognises the interconnectedness of forest, human and environmental health. Despite the expansion of agricultural land in Cambodia, malnutrition remains a significant issue, particularly among children and pregnant women, costing the country over $400 million annually. So, another important aspect of this research is to assess the level of heavy metal contamination in vegetables grown in agricultural areas that people consume daily. This will allow them to assess malnutrition rates in children whose diets include forest plants versus those whose diets consist of agricultural plants.

The research focuses on Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces, which are rich in biodiversity but face increasing pressure from agricultural development. The research could inform public policy and education regarding heavy metal contamination, helping to mitigate risks to humans, animals and the environment.

‘The data from this research can help the country develop informed policies that balance agricultural development with forest conservation, especially in these regions,’ said Dr Sanderson.

Mekong tributaries
Ratanakiri and Stung Treng provinces, located along the Mekong tributaries, are rich in biodiversity but face growing pressures from agricultural development.
research team collecting vegetables
The research team is collecting vegetables from a stall about 5 kilometres from a protected forest zone to assess heavy metal contamination.

Empowering local researchers for global impact

Professor Allison Behie from the Australian National University emphasises the importance of empowering local researchers and communities. ‘It is important not to come from an Australian institution and simply take over, but rather to empower the local communities who are the ones that truly benefit and can create sustainable change in their environment,’ she said.

Stung Treng research site
Dr Todd Sanderson, ACIAR Research Program Manager visits with local research team and communities to a research site located in one protected forest zone in Stung Treng province.

However, the project findings may have global implications, offering transferable insights into traditional land use and the value of native plants. These serve as a valuable reference for Australia, encouraging discussions and insights regarding traditional land use. So, by bridging the gap between traditional knowledge and scientific research, this project unlocks Cambodia's forests' potential to improve health, livelihoods and sustainable development worldwide.

This project is part of the ACIAR/​IDRC Research Program on One Health (AIRPOH) —a partnership between ACIAR and Canada’s International Research Development Centre. The program forms a portfolio of interconnected projects throughout East and Southeast Asia supporting research that will have a transformative impact on human, animal and environmental health.

Livelihoods
One Health
Related Articles
Australia’s support of Cambodia’s agricultural sector is now focusing on livestock and non-rice crops, like casava.
news

Celebrating 70 years of partnership with Cambodia

Australia is celebrating 70 years of partnership with Cambodia, with the ACIAR-supported research program playing a pivotal role in its success. ‘The establishment of long-term relationships between ACIAR-funded researchers and local communities has built solid foundations and supported the resilience of the Cambodian people,’ said Australian Ambassador to Cambodia, Pablo Kang.