Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in the mid-18th century, individuals have moved to towns and cities to seek employment for survival. An expanding population was part of the drive and need to seek economic opportunities in the cities. 

The subsistence type of farming that did exist could only support one family, so once children came along, they had to seek a future in the new industrial towns and cities. A similar problem exists in Cambodia now.

The new towns and cities experienced rapid economic growth with new industries, such as a very high labour demand. Not that the working and living conditions of the ordinary worker were anything to write home about; living and working conditions were often dire.

How does this apply to Cambodia now?

More economic opportunities need to be created for rural areas' existing and potentially growing populations. My statement has to be qualified by my knowledge, which is primarily related to Northern Cambodia only. 

Fertility rates in rural Cambodia are generally higher than in the major towns and cities. Lack of access to family planning and healthcare services in rural areas can contribute to higher birth rates.

Rural areas' lack of economic opportunities is a root cause of crime. Given this lack of opportunity and the number of youths in rural regions, the obvious consequence is the drift towards significant towns and cities.

What happens to young people from rural areas who move to the big towns and cities?

When young people move away from their typical rural families, they lose the family support and cohesion they have known all their lives. They move to a faster-paced region where they do not have a social support network.

A key to a successful move from a rural area to a city environment is having a good support network. The ideal will be some extended family who can be relied upon and live in the city.

But what if a young person does not have this? Herein lie the real dangers. Does this young person have a plan? Does the young person have a place to live? Does the young person have some money to help them in the next two months? Does the young person have a job to go to?

If a young person’s move to a city is not well thought out and made with sufficient consideration, it will be too easy for things to go badly.

What does badly wrong look like? For a young female, the dangers should be evident enough for older adults to appreciate, but you cannot expect a young female from a rural town or village to be city streetwise.

Likewise, a young male from a rural town or village can easily fall into the wrong groups and end up as a drug taker or thief, the next step being a drug dealer.

So here we have a root cause of crime in our cities. Identifying the issues around crime is relatively easy; what is hard is finding the solutions.

I have spent considerable time explaining the importance of getting these youth's early childhood years as right as possible. This is easily achievable.

Whilst the government tries and does attract new industries to Cambodia, solutions to complex social and economic problems often must be multifaceted.

We should learn from and observe other countries’ experiences, but we should still copy them precisely one by one.

The five biggest food exporters are the United States, Brazil, China, Germany and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has a land area of 41,850 sq km. Meanwhile, Cambodia has 181,035 sq km. 

But Cambodia is a net importer of food. How can this be possible? Who wants to say our farmers are incapable of farming? Who wants to say we don’t have the youth who would be the smart farmers of tomorrow?

The average income in the Netherlands is around $42,000 to $47,000 per year, while Cambodia's is around $1,500 to $2,000 yearly. Of course, the Netherlands has many high-tech industries and the agricultural sector. Still, Cambodia is attracting more advanced industries—not just the current mainstay of industry, the garment sector.

The message must be that investing in agriculture in our rural regions will have enormous social and economic benefits.

As a proposal, the local government needs to assume a more prominent role in providing better infrastructure. A simple grader for the dirt roads, backhoes or 360 diggers to provide ditches and better stormwater management. The national government is responsible for bringing knowledge and guidance to rural farmers.

There needs to be a shift in public perception of what it is to be a farmer. In Western countries, farmers are often seen as a privileged elite. While not strictly true, those farmers do work very hard. Yet, they are more than just farmers. Successful farmers are sharp businesspeople who happen to know a lot about agriculture and all that goes with this.

Our youth are well capable of taking this task on. My younger brother is working hard and trying very hard on our small family farm in Anlong Veng. It is starting to show promise. We can set an example for other regional farmers to follow.

We may need something like farmers cooperatives. The following is a definition of what a farmer’s cooperative is:

A farmers cooperative is an organization formed by farmers who come together to achieve common goals, such as marketing their products, purchasing supplies, or accessing services. By pooling resources, members can benefit from economies of scale, gain better prices for their goods, and enhance their bargaining power. Cooperatives can also provide support in areas like education, technology, and sustainable practices, ultimately helping farmers improve their livelihoods and strengthen their communities.

I wish I could be in two places simultaneously, but as of now, my more considerable commitment is to the Police and the social issues that surround being a Police Officer. I can see the link between a lack of rural economic opportunities and crime.