7NG GROUP AGRICULTURE
Agriculture remains the most important sector of the Cambodian economy in terms of its share of the gross domestic product (GDP), and it employs the vast majority of the workforce. Rice is Cambodia's major crop, its principal food, and, in times of peace, its most important export commodity. Rice is grown on most of the country's total cultivated land area. The principal rice regions surround the Mekong and the Tonle Sap, with particularly intensive cultivation in Battambang, Kampong Cham, Takeo, and Prey Veng provinces.
Cambodia traditionally has produced only one rice crop per year because it has lacked the extensive irrigation system needed for double-cropping. Under traditional patterns of agriculture, planting normally begins in July or August, and the harvest period extends from November to January. Where there is little irrigation, the amount of rainfall determines the size and quality of the crop.
The Royal Government made great efforts to build irrigation systems throughout the country. The results occasionally were notable, and in a few parts of the country farmers were able to grow two or, more rarely, three crops of rice per year. In some cases the irrigation works were poorly conceived and hastily built, and they soon collapsed. Most of those that survived were abandoned after 1979. Another significant problem is that millions of land mines remain in Cambodian fields from the years of warfare; this has severely restricted the amount of land available for cultivation.
We apply innovation and technology to help farmers in Cambodia produce more while conserving more. We help farmers grow yield sustainably so they can be successful, produce healthier foods, better animal feeds and more fiber, while also reducing agriculture's impact on our environment.
COMMITMENT TO AGRICULTURE
When farmers succeed, we succeed. Using the tools of modern biology, we help farmers grow more yields sustainably so they can produce more and conserve more. After all, it is the world's farmers that truly feed clothe and fuel our growing world.
We produce leading seed brands in large-acre crops like corn, cotton, and oilseeds (soybeans and canola), as well as small-acre crops like vegetables. We also produce leading in-the-seed trait technologies for farmers that are aimed at protecting their yield, supporting their on-farm efficiency and reducing their on-farm costs. We're constantly looking at ways to maximize the potential of seed -- both its yield potential and the technology used to protect it -- so farmers can get more out of each seed. Today, farmers use our innovative seed-based products to help them protect their crops and produce healthier foods and better animal feed.
As a company, we remain committed to broadly licensing our seed and trait technologies to other companies throughout the world. This approach ensures that farmers can access our products in the varieties that mean the most to their farm.
OUR PLEDGE
We want to make the world a better place for future generations. As an agricultural company, Monsanto can do this best by providing value through the products and systems we offer to farmers. With the growth of modern agricultural practices and crops that generate ever-increasing yields, we are helping farmers around the world to create a better future for human beings, the environment, and local economies.
Increased yields are the core of this agenda. As agricultural productivity increases, farmers are able to produce more food, feed, fuel, and fiber on the same amount of land, helping to ensure that agriculture can meet humanity's needs in the future. Moreover, increased productivity allows farmers to produce more with the same – or fewer – inputs of energy and pesticide. This results in more responsible use of natural resources, better ecosystem health, increased soil fertility, increased farm income, and more opportunities for farmers and their communities.