Project News

The Project of Capacity Building for Quality Standard Control of Agricultural Materials (Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides) (QCAM Project), organized a final reporting on analytical activities of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The aim of the report, which was delivered on September 16, 2011, was to discuss outcomes, challenges and solutions of these activities to date at the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The participants included staff from the Department of Agricultural Legislation (DAL) and the GDA, which are counterpart organizations of the QCAM Project; representatives from Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Ministry of Commerce; and finally a JICA Senior Volunteer, to share valuable information about the QCAM Project.

In opening the meeting, Dr. Hean Vanhan, Deputy Director General of the GDA, remarked that JICA's support is very important for the GDA to play its role effectively as a technical advisory organ to the MAFF.

After opening the meeting, each representative of the three laboratories in the DAL and the GDA, reported their laboratory activities, challenges and plans for future activities. In their presentations, it was mainly reported that each laboratory had become operational with all necessary equipment set up, and that the project targets for the laboratory activities had already been achieved (Note: The project targets are for two laboratories of chemical fertilizers in the DAL and the GDA to be able to analyze nine elements of chemical fertilizers, including N, P and K. The pesticide laboratory in the GDA can analyze 24 active ingredients of pesticides).

Furthermore, it was reported that the GDA and DAL will develop their own on-the-job training (OJT) plans for new laboratory staff, as well as for university students.

Dr. Hean Vanhan, Deputy Director General of the GDA (center), Ms. SIV Cheang, Program Officer of the JICA Cambodia Office, and Dr. Kazuhiko Yagi, Chief Advisor of the QCAM Project.

A CP staff member (left) reporting the laboratory activities with Ms. Edna Lynn C. Floresca (center) and Ms. Ma. Esperanza D.G. Uy (right).

After their presentations, Ms. Ma. Esperanza D.G. Uy, expert on formulation analysis of pesticides and Ms. Edna Lynn C. Floresca, expert on analysis of chemical fertilizers, presented their assessment and technical recommendations on the laboratory activities. One of recommendations by Ms. Uy was that the MAFF should increase the number of laboratory staff and train them, while establishing a revolving fund for sustainable operation of the pesticide laboratory. Ms. Floresca recommended that it is necessary for the MAFF to set up service fees and to market analytical work for chemical fertilizers to various clients, including educational institutions and the private sector, so that the MAFF can acquire the necessary funds for the laboratory operation.

(Left and Right): CP staff (center) reporting their laboratory activities.

Finally, there was a question-and-answer session for all the participants. One question was whether the 24 active ingredients of pesticides targeted by the QCAM Project, can cover all the locally circulated pesticides in Cambodia, Ms. Uy answered that the QCAM Project selected the 24 ingredients from a baseline survey. She explained that they may not cover all possible ingredients, but do cover a large part of them. Ms. Uy repeated several times that the DAL should decide active ingredients to analyze in the future. For his part, Dr. Vanhan commented that, based on the achievements of the QCAM Project, the MAFF will enhance analytical accuracy and skills of the laboratory staff and also expand the laboratory facilities. This will effectively contribute to implementation of the Strategy for Promotion of Paddy Production and Rice Export, as well as to food safety in Cambodia.

Throughout the remainder of the project, the QCAM Project will continue to support the CPs in carrying out the analytical assignments given by the experts. The goal is for the CPs to further enhance their analytical accuracy and skills. We hope that they will utilize all that they have learned in the QCAM Project for the development of this country.

Written by Toshinori Hamaguchi, JICA Expert