Effects of Eri-Culture on Promoting Environmental Awareness in Greater Phnom Penh of Cambodia

Currently in Greater Phnom Penh of Cambodia, the majority of famers apply agricultural chemicals such as chemical fertilizers or pesticide to maintain high levels of crop yield. However, agricultural chemicals released from farmlands are causing severe problems, such as the health damage of famers or the degradation of soil and water environment. So, an attention has been paid to approach sustainable rural development as regional challenges in the Education for Sustainable Development, ESD. This research dealt with the evaluation of the effects of eri-culture on promoting environmental awareness of local farmers, especially regarding the reduction of chemical pesticide applied. As eri silkworm is sensitive to agricultural chemicals, research interests have been focused on how eri-culture affects the environmental awareness of local farmers who rear eri silkworm. Eri silkworm, a kind of wild silkworms that inhabit south Asia, has been introduced to local villages in Kampong Cham province since October 2010 for a part of the activities of Regional Centre of Expertise in Greater Phnom Penh. The workshops have been organized 2 times for local farmers including the demonstration of eri-culture in November and December 2010. Also, the training on eri-culture was conducted to each local farmer who has started rearing eri silkworms. After 6 months from introducing eri- culture in Kampong Cham province, the questionnaire survey was conducted in March 2011 to evaluate the effects of eri-culture on promoting environmental awareness of local farmers. The results showed that rearing farmers wanted to reduce 92.5% of chemical pesticide compared to the conventional way. While local farmers who just participated or who have never participated in the workshops showed only 72.3% or 66.9% of chemical pesticide to be reduced. So, there was a tendency the expected percentage of chemical pesticide to be reduced for rearing farmers was remarkably higher than that for local farmers who just participated in the workshop or who have never participated in the workshops. Accordingly, it was considered that eri-culture has educational function for local farmers regarding the reduction of chemical pesticide application. However, other trainings such as sustainable farming practices may be indispensable to reduce the amounts of chemical pesticide applied with minimizing the insect damage to agricultural products.