Chapter 7 Recommendation
7.1 Development Subjects outside of the Master Plan
As described in the section 4.3.4, several specific fields have being regarded as outside of the scope of the master plan (external condition of the master plan), and no concrete plans have been taken up for such fields. Important development subjects for improving the rice marketing / rice quality and the food security of such fields are stated in this section.
(1) Rehabilitation of poor road infrastructure
For rehabilitation of the national road network, demarcation of assistance by the international organizations and the foreign donors has already been determined. Moreover, since Ministry of Public Works is not the counterpart agency of the Study, road rehabilitation has been excluded from the contents of the Master Plan. However, since very poor road conditions are the serious obstacles of smooth distribution, it is urgently need to implement the rehabilitation of the road infrastructure.
(2) Stability of agricultural production, and improvement in productivity
Except for distribution of the quality seed greatly concerning to quality improvement, any field of the agricultural production has been regarded as external condition of the master plan. However, increase/stabilize of rice production are essential to accomplish the development target of “Stable and balanced regional supply-demand”. It is necessary to take necessary actions immediately for rehabilitation/development of irrigation system, modernization of cultivation technology, etc., which are the subjects prioritized in the agricultural development plan.
(3) Importance of the measure against poverty
Market oriented economy is contributing to the development of economy but the poverty is hardly eased, even though the poverty reduction is giving the highest priority in the socio-economic develop. Many of the poor people are farmers who are engaged in rice cultivation and they are in the weakest position in the rice marketing system. The development goal is placed in the strengthening of the food security but it can be said that a super goal is in reducing the poor farmers by rice farming. In this line, the development projects for supporting the poor farmers are important.
7.2 Recommendation on Implementation of the Master Plan
(1) Implementation of the priority projects
The projects with comparatively lower prospect of implementation; that is to say that a project with higher necessity of technical assistance is selected for the priority project. To step forward the realization of project implementation, it is hoped that an action plan for each project is formulated with the opinions/intention of the Cambodia side. In the process of making an action plan, it may necessary to consider about unifying the project contents and parallel implementation.
(2) Technical cooperation
In terms of improvement of post-harvest quality control, “JICA group seminar course on post-harvest technology” is supposed to be suitable training course, so that it is required to accept Cambodian trainees continually. However, the following considerations are needed.
Although the Cambodia side is strongly demanded about technical cooperation, it is necessary to understand that the practices of selecting candidate trainees are very realistic thing. The motivation of counterpart staff to participate the Master Plan Survey is a chance for attending a overseas training. Unfortunately, the procedure/criteria for selecting the candidates is not very clear. It is required to clarify the procedure/criteria for the selection to maintain the motivation.
The period of dispatching the JICA experts should be a long-term by considering the poor capacity of government institution even if the individual special field of study is short-term. In addition, the area/timing of dispatch and behavioral pattern of the expert should be specified without regarding Cambodia as dangerous area generally.
(3) Foundation
The biggest reasons for the weakness of the government function are the shortage of talented persons and of fund. Although the government agencies are largely overstaffed, re-employment problem and social unrest does not allow the easy personnel cut. This situation of overstaff are bringing a present disorders in working moral/behavior with the financial deficit of the governmental in the bottom.
In implementation of the project, it is hard to expect the Cambodian government the financial self-efforts. The fund for project implementation is indispensable, and the highest priority is given to proper use of the fund, so that the joint management of the fund with donor is required.
(4) Realization of candidate projects
In the cabinet council held on February in this year 2001, the commercial minister reported the result of this Master Plan Study to all cabinet members. Consequently, a workgroup for rice marketing system and quality improvement is established under the responsibility of the commercial minister, and the continuous cooperation by Japan is requested.
To be concrete, a feasibility study is requested for an immediate promotion of establishing the open paddy market to support farmers. Open paddy markets are operated in Thailand, India and Pakistan and it is considered that possible to introduce it in Cambodia under the necessary and sufficient conditions. The project shall be able to give an large impact to farmers, traders and millers. It is recommended to conduct a feasibility study (F/S) as soon as possible in order not to lose a right time since the influences of Thai and Vietnam on rice marketing are increasing.