Overview
This project aimed to improve soil management in selected upland farming systems of southwest and southeast Cambodia to increase yields and returns for diverse crop options.
In Cambodia, more than one-quarter of the country’s 3 million ha of uplands is used by smallholder farmers, providing food security and livelihoods. High agricultural prices have driven agricultural growth and farmland expansion in recent decades.
The Cambodian government recognises that expanding cultivation into unused or degraded land is not environmentally sustainable and has prioritised intensification, improved yields and diversification of cropping in areas where upland farming is under development.
In these rainfed uplands, crop yields and profits are vulnerable to low soil fertility, drought conditions and fluctuating markets. Cost-effective, site-specific soil and land management technologies must be developed to promote sustainable and profitable farm businesses in the uplands and minimise the risk of production losses and soil degradation.
Characterising and mapping constraints and determining land suitability is a critical enabling technology for improved field crop production in upland areas.