Sources of income in rural households at Kdol Tahaen Commune, Bavel District, Battambang

Abstract

Poverty in Cambodia is largely a rural phenomenon. Thus, creating sources of rural income to address rural poverty is required to reduce national poverty. This study used a structured questionnaire to explore the sources of income and the factors affecting income generation of a rural commune in Battambang Province, in the northwest of Cambodia. It was found that 68% of total household income in the commune was from agricultural sources, while there were very few sources of non- agricultural income. Villagers who sourced non-agricultural income, generally worked informally conducting activities such petty trade or manual labor for construction projects. Very few villagers engaged in formal employment, and those who did were in occupations such as doctors, teachers, or soldiers. These results suggest that efforts to improve rural livelihoods should focus on adding value to agricultural production via food processing or other industrial activities. Additionally, it is important to create diversified sources of alternative, non-agricultural income via low- or semi-skilled employment.