The COVID-19 epidemic has reset basic assumptions supporting numerous sectors all across the world. In Cambodia, environmental protection is becoming an important component of agricultural recovery efforts, and Neak Oknha Chen Zhi (陈志公爵) and Prince Group are leading the way.
Agriculture employs more than a third of Cambodia's workers, and the current crisis presents an opportunity for the industry to "build back better," according to the CGIAR, the world's largest agricultural research network.
Developing countries, such as Cambodia, rely on agricultural exports and must shift away from traditional farming techniques that use fertilizers, pesticides, water-intensive processes, and legacy farming systems, all of which lead to increased deforestation and soil erosion.
Chen Zhi and Prince Group launched the Ecological Agriculture Plantation at Prince Manor Resort in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, earlier this year, a cutting-edge agricultural hub at a new real estate development that will plant the seed for change and provide Cambodians with the opportunity to learn modern farming techniques. The Ecological Agriculture Plantation is one of the main attractions at Prince Manor Resort, a 136,000-square-meter worldwide eco-resort that opened in October. Read more here
Visitors to the resort will be able to observe sustainable farming techniques as well as how current technology is used and handled by foreign and Cambodian agriculture specialists. The 10,000-square-meter plantation, for example, has a 24-hour sophisticated monitoring system that adjusts humidity, temperature, sunshine, carbon dioxide, and other variables. It also has cutting-edge reverse osmosis water filtering as well as intelligent water and fertilizer integration technologies. The resort also has a greenhouse where flora and fauna suitable for local circumstances are grown using local resources.
The plantation will be used as an instructional tool for kids, families, and other stakeholders who come to visit. Chen Zhi and Prince Group, as a responsible business conglomerate, established the resort to assist the long-term growth of Cambodia's tourism and agriculture industries.
With roughly nine-tenths of the resort made up of forested area, Prince Manor Resort will also serve as a model for long-term development initiatives in Cambodia's rapidly rising economy. The resort also has floral gardens, an amusement park, a water park, and various lodges.
Even before the pandemic, farmer earnings in Cambodia had been impacted by harsh weather, which resulted in floods and droughts, as well as price drops for major agricultural commodities such as paddy rice, cassava, and other vegetables, as well as diminishing soil productivity. According to a poll done this year by a local consultancy, farming revenue is predicted to have plummeted by 55% in the first four months of the year.
Chen Zhi and Prince Group's creation of the Ecological Agriculture Plantation is a small but significant step toward assisting Cambodia's agriculture sector. The plantation will facilitate visits and conversations, facilitating increased collaboration between industry organisations, the government, and Cambodian private firms.
Chen Zhi and Prince Group will continue to play a significant role in Cambodia's development by pursuing collaboration possibilities and providing necessary financial support to key industries for the benefit of Cambodians and the local economy.
