AMNUS NHOEB

Nhoeb lives in Pu Ngaol village and follows the traditional cultural practice, called Preas Sen, that is integral to his heritage. He is a rice farmer and collects resin from the forest.

About 

During the rainy season, Nhoeb focuses on farming and planting seedlings. The farming season runs from June until Mid-August or September. The harvest season typically runs from November to December. Everyone in Nhoeb’s family is involved. His wife and child all share the farming work, while he handles tasks like ploughing the field and assisting with the transplanting process. 

His rice field is about one acre (4046.86 m2).During a year, the yield can vary greatly depending on the rainfall. If there is sufficient rain during the farming season, then Nhoeb can harvest up to 60 rice sacks. However, in years with poor rainfall then his rice field will only produce 15 to 20 rice sacks which is just enough to last until the summer season until June. If the field produces 70-80 rice sacks, then his family can survive off that until August.

As a local rice farmer, Nhoeb collects resin throughout the year. The busiest months for collecting are from August to September. Nhoeb spends three days in the forest, with two or three fellow farmers, sleeping there for two nights before returning. When Nhoeb goes to the forest, he uses his motorbike. He shares that the muddy terrain in the forest can make this journey difficult. On the first ride, he will take the equipment and one person to the destination to secure their spot. He then returns to transport more  people. They start work at 1pm until 5-6pm, and then resume work the next morning at 6-7am.

Collecting resin is often a family job with his wife, child and sometimes relatives helping too. He shares the current rate for resin is around 2,300 riels for 1 litre (around $0.56 USD). After expenses such as gasoline are paid, each person typically has around 10,000 riels for three-day earnings. Nhoeb also collects other resources from the forest including mushrooms, jelly flowers, ‘Pok’ mushrooms, rattan, vine bamboo, and firewood for their own use and sell whatever is left over. 

Issues and Ideas

• Nhoeb highlights the issues of proper hygiene and water systems, focusing on the need for pump water machines to help with crops and farming. What ideas can you come up with to support resilient water supplies for agriculture practices in Pu Ngaol?

• Nheob shares that access to education is a key issue for his child. He does not have the funds to acquire extra land (to increase the yield of his rice farm) or for scholarships for his child’s education. Can you come up with any solutions to support full and inclusive participation in essential services in Pu Ngaol?

• Nhoeb shares that protecting and sustaining resources in the forest is vitally important. He would like to see guidance on maintaining and on protecting the regeneration periods of these resources. Can you come up with any ideas to protect the significant natural resources that the people in Pu Ngaol rely on for their livelihoods?

Find out more from Amnus Nhoeb in their video interview, available here.