Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture’s departments of Forestry and Fisheries will be placed under the control of the provincial agricultural administrations, according to an official letter released by Agricultural Minister Ouk Rabun on Monday. The move is part of an effort to decentralize government responsibilities and give more agency to local departments across the Kingdom.
Provincial departments of agriculture will have their names changed across the board to departments of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, according to the letter.
The Ministry decided to transfer the Forestry Administration and Fisheries Administration to the control of provincial Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Departments, Mr. Rabun said.
Nine articles of law regarding forestry and two articles regarding fisheries will be amended in the transfer of responsibilities.
Ministry of Agriculture spokesman Lor Rasmey said that his ministry is following the policies of the government and Prime Minister Hun Sen to reform and decentralize their departments.
Our administrations have fully done their duty since being established, and now we are reforming them to respond to decentralization policy, he said, adding that the move will boost the efficiency of the administrations’ responses to problems throughout the country.
Under-secretary of state of the Ministry of Agriculture Eang Sophalleth will hold a meeting to discuss the changes on Friday.
2016 Khmer Times