Ministry of Agriculture launches quality seed standard

The General Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries – in collaboration with the Cambodia-Australia Agricultural Value Chain Program – launched on May 11 the QDS (Quality Declared Seed) standard for rice products.

The launch was chaired by Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon, attended by Kampong Thom Provincial Governor Nguon Ratanak, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) representative Miyahary AI and officials from the Australian Embassy.

The provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in Kampong Thom said the SQD was established through guidelines issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2006.

Officials from JICA and the Australian Embassy said they expect QDS to play an important role in ensuring the quality of Cambodian rice, to contribute to the quality and quantity rice production and make it competitive and responsive to market demands. They also hoped that the QDS would improve the living conditions of farmers, through the production and sale of quality rice seeds.

Sakhon said the QDS is in line with the government’s policy of comprehensive agricultural sector reform, including modernization of the agricultural sector, value addition and improvement of production chains, to cater to regional and global markets. competitive.

He said the government had a policy to deliver socio-economic growth, poverty reduction, job creation, reduction of migration – and to ensure food security – in a sustainable and inclusive way that was linked to the Cambodia 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

He called on the authorities of the ministry and at sub-national levels, development partners and the private sector to support the QDS and ensure its success, in order to promote Cambodian seeds.