Publications

Written by Mekong Institute

This study examines the nature of transboundary production of maize, the key benefits to farmers from contract farming (CF) and the factors influencing a farmers decision to participate in CF. Farmers who are suppliers in CF were surveyed to answer the study objectives and statistical analysis was employed. The findings reveal that the market for maize in Cambodia is too small which makes farmers extremely vulnerable to price fluctuation. Contract farmers are usually poor and have low education. While CF is predominantly dependent on verbal contracts, contractors who are middlemen are likely to gain high profit margins in the market chain for maize. But the income of farmers is not helped by CF and CF does not improve their livelihood. Access to credits and seeds is what attract farmers to CF. The findings suggest that a legal framework is needed for CF and better market access is important for agricultural and economic development in Cambodia.

Keywords: Transboundary Production, Maize, Contract Farming

Written by Mekong Institute

This research examines the CBTA implentation and its impacts on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) development at Moc Bai border and Ba Vet border.

The surveyed enterprises consist of 5 major business sectors including services, trading, manufacturiing, agriculture and constructin. The survey results showed that most of the SMEs used personal saving to run their businesses. Our results also show most of the interviewed respondent have never cross the Moc Bai border. The respondents reported that the time to cross the Moc Bai and Bavet borders is time consuming and they have to pay some additional fee for crossing te border. This includes services charge, expensive visa/custom fee and inconsistent custom rules and restrictive custom policy at the cross border check point.

The results show that the road, transportaton, electricity, water, telecommunication, waste systems do not impact to the revenue of SMEs. In contrast, only drainage is correlated with changes in SMEs revenues.

Most of the interviewed respondents have never heard about the CBTA and are not aware of the CBTA implementation.