Film on "Rice Friend" project unveiled to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2025!!!!

Phnom Penh: A short film on the "Rice Friend" project, an initiative of conservation activities through wildlife farming, was unveiled on May 10 to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2025.

The launch was held by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with Natural Life Cambodia (NLC) with support from BirdLife International and Mandai Nature Foundation on 10 May 2025.

The short film of the project "Rice Friends" was produced to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day 2025 under the theme "Sharing Habitats, Creating Towns and Bird Compassion Communities".

The film, which is more than six minutes long, shows the successes and challenges that are emerging in the implementation of the project over the past three years, especially the promotion of community involvement and efforts to conserve migratory birds, including cranes, according to a joint press release.

World Migratory Birds Day is a campaign held twice annually in May and October each year with the aim of raising awareness and the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats.

Mr. Bo Warasat, Executive Director of Nature Life Cambodia, said that after three years of testing, the positive results of the project have greatly encouraged conservationists.

He stated: "We aim to expand this project to achieve greater achievements in the conservation of cranes and the livelihood of the community.

Deputy Secretary General and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Kwai Artaya, congratulated the success of the Krill Rice Project.

"The project has improved the livelihood of the citizens, contributed to curbing pollution, reduced the use of chemical fertilizers, and also provided an additional food source for cranes," he said.

The Deputy Secretary encouraged the public to participate in eating the rice of the Crocodile Rice Project to get good health and help the farmers as well as participate in the protection and conservation of crocodiles for future generations.

The crane (Antigone antigone sharpii) is a species of large and beautiful waterfowl found in Southeast Asia.

In Cambodia, the crane nests in the northern and eastern highlands and migrates to the Lower Mekong Delta of Cambodia and Vietnam, and the Sap River submerged plains during the non-reproductive season every year.

According to the 2024 National Census results, only 178 cranes have been recorded.

The project was initiated in 2019 next to the Canyon Preng Scenic Reserve in Kampong Trach District, Kampot Province, to promote biodiversity farming to help protect the habitat and food of cranes as well as enhance the livelihoods of local communities through reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and protecting the ecosystem of wetlands.

The project was established after the deaths of 10 cranes in 2018 after the bodies were taken for examination to be found to contain toxic chemicals, which were likely caused by the use of chemical fertilizers or improper disposal of chemical shell waste.

The public can also watch the short film of the "Rice Project", which is also attached https://shorturl.at/mIrwo