On March 23, 2024, a rice-fish team of Shanghai Ocean University held an online meeting with the Fisheries Administration of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia.

The meeting was co-chaired by Xugan Wu, Director of the Research Center on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition of China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and professor at Shanghai Ocean University, and Thay Somony, Director of the Department of Aquaculture Development, Fishery Administration of Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

The meeting aimed to assess the process of rice-shrimp farming in Cambodia's Takeo province and discuss the working plan for rice-fish farming collaboration between Shanghai Ocean University and the Fisheries Administration in 2024.

The event also featured training in rice-shrimp farming and donation of the "Rice-Fish Farming Manual Book" to local farmers in Takeo province.

Ten farmers from different districts in Takeo province led by Ouk Hak, Deputy Chief of Takeo Fisheries Administration Cantonment, participated in this meeting and each farmer received one manual book.

Xugan Wu and Thay Somony introduced the progress and working plan for the project "Technical Cooperation on Rice-Fish and Personnel Training in the Lancang-Mekong Region" funded by Asian Cooperation Funds.

They agreed that to expand rice-fish farming, more demonstration rice-fish farmers need to be selected. Under this project, new rice-fish models also need to be developed in Cambodia to reduce the farming and market risk of rice-fish farming.

Virakbot Hou, a Cambodian student studying in Shanghai Ocean University, gave short training on "key technology on rice - all male freshwater giant prawn farming in tropic areas."

Thay Somony expressed his appreciation to Shanghai Ocean University and Asian Cooperation Funds for sharing knowledge and experience, sending experts to Cambodia, and donating "Rice-Fish Farming Manual Book" to Cambodian farmers. He said these would help rice-fish farmers improve their knowledge and adopt new techniques and technology to enhance rice and fish production, which would improve their livelihoods.

Xugan Wu and Thay Somony hold a meeting via video link.

Cambodian farmers show all male freshwater giant prawns raised in rice-shrimp rotation ponds.

Virakbot Hou, a Cambodian student studying in Shanghai Ocean University, gives short training on "key technology on rice - all male freshwater giant prawn farming in tropic areas."