In a significant move to enhance food security and agricultural trade, the Philippines has entered into a strategic partnership with Cambodia. The Department of Agriculture announced this collaboration on February 13, 2025, highlighting its alignment with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s food security goals. The partnership was formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed during the visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet to the Philippines on February 11, 2025.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. emphasized the potential benefits of this MOU, particularly in expanding agricultural cooperation, with a focus on rice, the staple food of the Philippines. He noted that Cambodia is poised to become a key trading partner as the Philippines seeks to diversify its agricultural markets.
The partnership will explore various avenues for collaboration, including agricultural planning, animal feed development, animal health protection, irrigation management, and agricultural marketing systems. Additionally, it will facilitate the exchange of non-geographically indicated plant commodities to foster innovation in agriculture.
The Department of Agriculture is keen on exploring trade opportunities in rice, vegetables, and meat with Cambodia. This move comes at a time when the trade between the two countries reached USD80.50 million in 2023, with agricultural trade accounting for USD20.40 million, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
This partnership not only aims to boost rice production but also to strengthen the overall agricultural trade between the Philippines and Cambodia, marking a new chapter in their bilateral relations.