Impact of conflict on sustainable agricultural practices and transitions in Cambodia

Abstract

Cambodian social and economic systems are in an era of transformation as the nation transitions from its history of war and tragedy into a future shaped by more democratic institutions and free market policies. During the 1970s, under the Khmer Rouge, the people of Cambodia were forced to live communally and survive through collective agriculture. Starvation, hard labor, knowledge destruction, and summary execution resulted in a nation facing high levels of poverty, intellectual loss, and food insecurity. Today, while strides have been made to increase economic and social outcomes, the predominantly rural country is still characterized by a weak educational system and economic dependence on agriculture. To better understand the role of the Khmer Rouge era on agriculture, a qualitative comparative case study analysis of Cambodian agriculture pre- and post-Pol Pot regime was conducted. Results indicate that the Khmer Rouge reduced labor availability, stunted rice production output, collectivized and centralized farming systems, intensified production, and created an overall loss of crop diversity and knowledge. It is necessary to understand the influence that the conflict had on Cambodian agricultural systems to assure the nation is able to transition from an unsustainable, extensification-based agriculture system to a diverse, sustainably intensified agricultural landscape.