This past week, our team conducted preliminary visits to five Cambodian provinces included in the TrackFLU project: Takeo, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng, Kampong Thom and Battambang. These visits were essential to select live bird markets and poultry farms for our upcoming cross-sectional study.
The team included Malen Chan, Bastien Malinge, Sovath Rithyvong and Dr. Ren Theary, Deputy Director of NAHPRI. In each province, we introduced the TrackFLU project and worked closely with provincial and district-level veterinary officers to identify key markets and farms. We then visited these sites and conducted interviews with poultry traders and farmers to better understand the local poultry trade network.
Beyond the valuable data gathered, traveling through Cambodia’s countryside offered a great perspective on the regions we are studying. The week’s highlight? Watching the sunrise over the Angkor Wat temple!