Phnom Penh:Cambodia is set to host a significant international agricultural forum and exhibition later this month, aimed at promoting investment and enhancing local agro-processing to expand the country's agrifood exports, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the Cambodia Agriculture Forum and Exhibition 2026 (CAFE26) is scheduled to take place from October 23 to 25 at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh. MAFF Secretary of State H.E. Prak David announced at a recent press conference that the event, led by Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister H.E. Dith Tina, seeks to bring together key stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, including farmers, processors, investors, and policymakers.
The forum will highlight the sector's potential by focusing on promoting local processing, adopting modern technology, establishing digital systems to address operational challenges, and building technical capacity. Organized by MAFF in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), One Event, and several international development partners, CAFE26 aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, explore investment opportunities, and identify practical solutions to challenges facing Cambodia's agricultural sector.
Agriculture plays a crucial role in Cambodia's economy, contributing to food security, employment, rural livelihoods, and export earnings. It provides raw materials for agro-processing and has significant potential to generate greater value through investment in processing, packaging, storage, and modern production technologies. The Royal Government of Cambodia has emphasized developing agricultural value chains and encouraging investment in local processing to move beyond the export of unprocessed or raw agricultural commodities.
Efforts to process rice, cassava, cashew nuts, mangoes, bananas, rubber, vegetables, and other agricultural products into higher-value items for both domestic consumption and international markets are aimed at reducing post-harvest losses, improving farmers' incomes, creating jobs, and strengthening the competitiveness of Cambodian products. Agriculture remains one of the four essential pillars supporting the Cambodian economy, alongside tourism, construction and real estate, and garment, footwear, and travel goods manufacturing. In 2025, Cambodia generated US$6.46 billion in gross revenue from agricultural exports, marking a 7.3 percent increase from the previous year's US$6.02 billion.