Simona Tomanová, a graduate of the Master’s program International Development and Agricultural Economics, drew on her experience with data collection for her thesis on labor rights and child labor in the cashew sector in Cambodia to contribute to the implementation of the SmartAgri Cambodia: Advancing Sustainable Agriculture in Battambang project, carried out by the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) in cooperation with the Faculty of Engineering (TF). The main activities of this year focus on analyzing the current situation and needs of agricultural cooperatives in Battambang Province.
Simona’s work is centered on analyzing the value chains of selected crops and livestock. The key products include vegetables, rice, mango, as well as poultry and pig farming. To cover the entire value chain, three types of interviews were designed – with farmers, intermediaries/processors, and retail/market actors. A total of 29 active agricultural cooperatives in Battambang Province were included in the data collection. Within these cooperatives, 24 interviews were conducted with farmers across the selected products. Based on contacts provided by farmers and cooperatives, interviews with intermediaries and processors followed, leading up to the final segment of the chain – retailers and markets. Altogether, 54 interviews were carried out across the value chains, ensuring comprehensive coverage and robust data collection.
The interviews were conducted in Khmer language with the support of Cambodian team members, or in English, directly led by Simona. The personal contact with all actors in the value chain not only increased the credibility of the responses but also opened doors for future cooperation, which will be essential for the success of this three-year project.
Simona will build on the knowledge gained during her two-month internship in her doctoral studies, which she will begin in October at FTZ. The data collected will be used not only for the project but also for her upcoming dissertation work. She evaluates her experience with the data collection very positively. Direct communication with agricultural actors has helped her gain a deeper understanding of agricultural production, subsequent processing and distribution, the opportunities and challenges they face, and the potential for future development.
