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Some members of the association also share resources, like silos and machines to dry cassava and turn it into chips.
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Down the road, trucks from the neighbouring country line up to haul off as many of 200 containers of cassava and other crops per day. One thing his group offers is good relationships with Cambodian government ministries, as well as with entities in Thailand, a major buyer. Ny’s office is located on the border with Thailand, and inside, the walls are lined with photos of his life in farming, including ones of him posing with powerful figures in government. As the group grows in size and influence, farmers will have more of an incentive to pay dues.Ĭassava Farmers’ Association president Ny Khan works to help members break into the potentially lucrative cassava market. “The association is still small, and membership fees are voluntary,” says Ny Kan, the president of the association. That’s why UNDP supports the Sampov Lun Cassava Farmers’ Association the group helps smallholder farmers band together and negotiate on tax incentives, export prices and more. While many small farmers can’t profitably grow cassava on their own, they may be able to do it together. Some farmers take out loans, but the risk is great, as defaulting on the loan could cost them their land. Khan to make a profit, it’s even harder for smaller farmers than him without the initial money to invest, they can’t break into the market. “Market prices are the biggest problem with cassava,” he explains. Longtime farmer Khan Muon says it’s tough to turn a profit on cassava. Khan has prospered, but there are difficulties. It’s got thick white roots with a tough brown skin. He’s got a farmer’s muscles, which are on display as he pulls a cassava plant straight out of the ground to show off the miracle crop. Khan Muon has been a farmer in Sampov Lun for 20 years. Put another way, if Cambodia can solve the puzzle of cassava, the rewards could be great. Now we’re poised to multiply that impact dramatically - if we approach the opportunity from various angles.” Lots of people can benefit: field workers, farmers, plant workers and their families. “So far, we’ve tapped some of the great potential that cassava has for Cambodia.
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“There’s a complex economy around cassava,” says Leang Reathmana, manager of the cassava project for UNDP in Cambodia. What’s more, there’s a niche market for organic cassava in the United States and Western Europe, making the prospects for profit even greater.īut it’s not as easy as just growing more cassava and selling it. In terms of dollar value for GDP, cassava takes up a tiny fraction of farmland as compared to rice. It already plays a big role, comprising five percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it the second most valuable crop next to rice, which yields about 10 to 12 percent of GDP. It’s such a versatile ingredient that some scientists call it a miracle crop.Īnd that miracle crop might just help boost Cambodia’s economy. It also gets made into dried chips that end up as a seasoning or a sweetener in many foods. Chances are good there’s some cassava on your person or in objects within eyesight right now. It shows up in clothes, cosmetics, capsules, pills, paper and plastic. The starch is used as a thickener in soups, sauces, baby foods and other edibles. Photo: Paul VanDeCarr/UNDPĬassava is a root vegetable that gets made into starch and is used in more things than you know. Solving the puzzle of cassava would bring benefits for the economy, producers and workers, like these field hands.