UN Says Cambodia ‘Food Secure’ Thanks to Gov’t Policies

While the global economic crisis weakened the ability of Cambodian households to purchase food, the government’s focus on agricultural production and other policies have since helped alleviate food insecurity in the country, the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development said in a new report.

Between June 2007 and June 2008, the number of homes in Cambodia that did not have sufficient income for food or other essentials increased from 62 to 69 percent, according to the report. However, Cambodia’s “massive increase in agricultural production” during the past decade, including a 359 percent increase in maize, 89 percent increase in vegetables and 82 percent increase in paddy rice, has made the country more food secure which refers to the household’s physical and economic access to food.

According to the U.N. report, Cambodia has “one of the most coherent sets of policies for food security and agriculture.” …