Environment and land
Thailand brushes up on measures to tackle IUU fishing after EU assessment
European Union (EU) Representatives have decided not to remove Thailand’s yellow card status, after first assessment of the country’s efforts to tackle problems in the fishing industry. Keep reading ...
Lao ministry sets target yields for agriculture
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is asking farmers around the country to grow 4.2 million tonnes of rice this fiscal year, seeking to boost commercial production and ensure food security. According to the figures provided by the ministry, 2.1 million tonnes of the total rice ...
4G spectrum windfall to help farmers

The government will spend part of the revenue from the fourth-generation (4G) spectrum auction to finance the country’s agricultural plan to ease the impact of drought on farmers. Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, who leads the government’s economic team, said on 19 November a portion of revenue from the spectrum bidding ...
Rare giant catfish signals hope for species

A group of Cambodian fishermen caught quite a surprise earlier this month: a massive Mekong giant catfish, the first one seen in the country in a year. Caught near Phnom Penh, the fish was nearly seven feet long and weighed an estimated 200 to 250 pounds ...
Mekong rice straw to go to Japan

Rice straw, which is usually burnt by Cuu Long (Mekong) farmers at rice fields after harvest, will be exported to Japan as animal feed, according to Song Hau State Farm in the Mekong City of Can Tho. Keep reading ...
Thai Government unveils assistance for farmers
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak has instructed the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to extend assistance to farmers in two phases. Keep reading ...
Farmers cheer as Vietnam inks deal to export straw to Japan for cow feed

Rice straw, which is usually treated as waste and burned after each harvest in Vietnam, will become a valuable export product for the country next year. A new agreement signed on 18 November in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho allows the state-owned Song Hau Collective ...
'Room for improvement' in Cambodia's land dispute resolution process

Cambodia continues to lack an effective way to resolve land disputes, which remain a major destroyer of livelihoods for many families, according to a study released by the NGO Forum on 18 November. The study examines 26 sample villages in Battambang, Kampong Speu, Pursat and Kampong ...
Cambodian CSO coalition letter ready for climate talks

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) has produced a document laying out in detail the projected dire effects of climate change on Cambodia, in the hopes it will help their voice be heard among the 25,000 delegates attending the upcoming Paris Climate Talks in ...
Lower Sesan 2 dam putting livelihoods and environment at risk

The giant Lower Sesan 2 dam is one of the most controversial construction projects in Cambodia. The electricity-generation potential of the Lower Sesan 2 is massive but, for the Mekong River’s aquatic life and nearby villagers, the price of such progress could be colossal. The mighty Mekong River ...