As part of the project Transforming Agri-Food Systems in Cambodia Through Strengthening Research Capacity, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Czech Aid, a 10-day Summer School on Agro-food Systems Towards Green Technologies and Self-Sufficiency from 19th till 30th August 2024 was held. This dynamic program took place at the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with the collaboration of the Faculties of Agroeconomics, Rural Development, and Agroindustry. The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, led the coordination efforts.
The program brought together 8 Czech and 10 Khmer students, engaging them in a hands-on, project-based learning environment. Combination of workshops, soft skills, practical tasks and excursion aimed to provide complex background for the topic of self-sufficiency and agrifood systems. Our experts Associate Prof. Jaroslav Havlík, Dr. Markéta Houdková and Dr. Tereza Brůna Slámová jointly with the expert from the RUA Dr. Kimchhin Sok thought the students in the field of food safety and security, technology of tofu, jams and kimchi making from the local crops as well as presentation skills and marketing and management of food products in developing countries.
The intensive theoretical and workshop activities were combined with the excursions to the local market and supermarkets. And excursion to the province where the students had an opportunity to visit traditional Kampot Pepper Farm, Mangrove nursery and conservation program and traditional fish sauce manufacture.
Throughout the program, students developed in-depth knowledge of specific food products and were tasked with building projects around them. As a result, student presented their outcomes about the food product they were assigned to in front of panel of experts from CZU and RUA.
As a part of the program, they were invited guests such as representative from the Czech Embassy, Barbora Žáčková, presenting about the opportunities to apply for Government scholarship. As well as student Dana Samoeun participating in the ERASMUS KA171 International Credit Mobility program sharing her experience from the studies in Czechia.
The program concluded with a closing ceremony, where students were awarded diplomas for their participation. The celebration ended with a joint BBQ, offering a chance to taste the students’ newly created food products and strengthen the bonds formed during this enriching educational experience.
See the pictures and video from the summer school and stay tuned for next activity!
