Local Authorities Turn to Farming to Support Displaced Border Communities

Local Authorities Turn to Farming to Support Displaced Border Communities

ODDAR MEANCHEY, Feb 17, 2026 — Authorities in Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province have expanded agricultural projects to support families displaced by what Cambodian officials describe as a Thai military incursion, as many remain unable to return home after their houses were demolished and access routes blocked.

Provincial Governor Mean Chanyada said in a statement posted on his official Facebook page that local authorities in Anlong Veng district have stepped up vegetable cultivation inside displacement sites to strengthen community resilience and provide daily food supplies.

The initiative follows guidance from Pech Chanmony, Hun Manet’s wife, and aims to help families establish more sustainable livelihoods while awaiting a resolution to the border situation, he said.

According to the statement, more than one hectare of vegetable farmland at a displacement site in Anlong Veng has begun harvesting produce. Authorities are also planting an additional 1,500 chili plants to diversify food supplies.

Cambodian officials have said displaced residents cannot return home because their houses were demolished and roads have been blocked with barbed wire and containers by the Thai side.

Local authorities thanked district leaders and technical officials involved in the project, describing the farming initiative as a practical step to ensure food security and stability for affected families.