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Monday, January 31, 2011

Cambodia Struggling With Paddy Rice Flight

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Monday, 31 January 2011

A Cambodian man carries rice at a paddy rice farm in Bekpeang village, Kampong Cham province. The government wants to see a million tons of milled rice exported by 2015.
One recent afternoon, farmer Hem Preoung was discussing what to do about a small wooden barn full of paddy rice with a group of other farmers.

The 62-year-old farmer is a member of the Preah Theat village farm association, in Kandal province’s Kandal Stung district. For the past five years, she has kept 15 kilograms of harvested paddy rice in the small barn as a kind of bank.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

On Patrol, Forest Rangers as Teachers and the Law

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Thursday, 20 January 2011

A ranger of Cambodia's 3,000 square kilometer Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary stands next to three Cambodian youth who were found entering the park illegally and made to agree not to enter again in the future, before they were released. The sanctuary lies
On a recent afternoon, a patrol of armed forest rangers came across three teenage boys in the forest of the Phnom Samkos Wildlife Sanctuary.

The rangers, who work for the government but are bolstered by a conservation group, jumped out at the boys and told them to stop. They had them lace their fingers behind their heads and sit on the grassy trail for questioning.


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Youth Can 'Bridge Gap' for Legacy of Khmer Rouge

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Long Khet, executive director of Youth for Peace, on 'Hello VOA' on Monday.
Youth can play a vital role in bringing back some of the trust that was lost in the Khmer Rouge and intervening war years, an youth leader said Monday.

“In our community, we've lost our values, solidarity and trust among each other, especially with the Khmer Rouge survivors,” said Long Khet, executive director of Youth for Peace, as a guest on “Hello VOA.”

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Chemical Pesticides Still Recklessly Used, Farmers Say

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer 
Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Striving to make a living and eat during a slow economy, Cambodian farmers in Kandal province said this week they continue to use whatever pesticides they can affordably obtain and that they often spray without wearing protective masks and gloves.
Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture is running a campaign to increase awareness about pesticide use. More than 80 percent of Cambodia's 14 million people live in rural areas and heavily depend on farming. 
(Pich Samnang, Kandal province, VOA Khmer)

Friday, January 7, 2011

Buddhist Monk 'Robes' Trees to Save Them

Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Friday, 07 January 2011
Bun Saluot says that logging and hunting of wildlife has decreased in a forested area in northwestern Cambodia since he and his associates began more than 10 years ago draping ancient and large trees with orange and saffron cloth. He is the director of a Buddhist forestry association in Banteay Meanchey province. He said that local villagers and farmers initially opposed the action but eventually grew to appreciate it as they gained understanding that their livelihoods were tied to a healthy natural environment. ''Robed trees make this forest sacred and powerful,'' he said. (Pich Samnang, Banteay Meanchey province, VOA Khmer)