Prepared by Sok Chanraksmey – DPA
The Agroecology Learning Alliance in Southeast Asia (ALiSEA) network, in collaboration with the Sustainable Soil for Life Association (SSLA), organized a Journalist field trip to Battambang province, Cambodia, on July 6th 2024. There were 32 participants (Female 9), including 21 journalists from 15 different media organizations, farmers, local authorities, and representatives from GRET, ALiSEA, DPA and SSLA.
The initiative aimed to deepen the understanding of local journalists on agroecology principles and approaches and share the successful agroecology initiatives in Battambang province. The activity was also a tool to promote the agroecology approaches and foster connection between Journalists, farmers, and stakeholders to create well-informed and engaging articles about agroecology.
The morning session provided brief agroecology principles for further exploration of agroecology and initiatives undertaken in Cambodia. Mr. Reachna from SSLA delivered a presentation on agroecology to broaden the journalists’ understanding of the subject. Afterward, the tour proceeded to visit the vegetable farm of Mr Sin Sinoeut to explore more about the practices in the field and his experiences.
In the afternoon, we visited the farm of Mr. Nim Chheang, a practitioner of agroecological diversification. His farm plants various crops for home feed and sale to generate income. Additionally, a group discussion was held to gather feedback from the journalists and explore ways for improvement in the future. The discussion centered on the journalists’ perceptions and their learning related to agroecology. Journalists shared their insights on the understanding of agroecology that contributed to circular economy, food safety, livelihood and biodiversity. Moreover, they shared their curiosity about agriculture, especially its relevance to modern farming practices to attract their audiences.
“ … shared agricultural knowledge had attracted a lot of audiences to our platform. Some videos reached over 1 million views. It was crucial for the agri-tour, especially promoting agroecological practices…so that farmers can reap significant benefits to deeper knowledge on agriculture linkage to their practices … .the farm visit helped provide more evidence for my reporting information – Mr. Khoeun Sokheang, PNN TV reporter”
“ I have initiated with Mr. Sovann related to agroecology before as well as now…agroecology was good for our farmers to gain profits, good market, food safety, and environmental sustainability…. through my talk show related to agroecology under the topic of intercropping…. farmers were interested in the topic and raised questions on technical practices – Ms. Kong Monira, Radio National of Kampuchea reporter”
In conclusion, this field trip is a valuable step in promoting agroecology and inspiring wider adoption of sustainable agricultural practices in Cambodia and the region. Connecting journalists with farmers is pivotal. It allows journalists to build public awareness based on evidence and disseminate information from accurate sources for their further activities related to agroecology.
Publications:
https://freshnewsasia.com/index.php/en/localnews/348150-2024-07-11-02-40-40.html
https://www.oknha.news/social-eco/148719
https://www.cnc.com.kh/detail/news/55329