Students from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) clinched first prize in the 2024 Thnot d'Or (golden palm) Awards with their innovative breakfast cereal, Ambok Damnab. 

Eleven dynamic teams from ITC, the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), the Kampong Speu Institute of Technology (KSIT), the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), and the Saint Paul Institute (SPI) of Takeo competed for the coveted awards on July 27. 

Organised by the Kinal Foundation, the event celebrated innovation in plant-based products, focusing on enhancing value and health benefits for both domestic and international markets.

The group of six students creatively combined six Cambodian fruits with the traditional Ambok (a dish made from flattened rice), aiming to popularise the nutritious breakfast beyond its typical annual consumption during the Water Festival. Their efforts earned them the top prize of 4 million riel (about $976).

"We added six Cambodian fruits to Ambok for breakfast," said the winners. "We noticed that the consumption of Ambok is very limited, typically only once a year during the Water Festival." 

The team’s goal is to make Ambok a staple breakfast choice and provide a market for less popular fruits, benefiting local farmers. Ambok Damnab Cereal, with its crispy sweet taste and inclusion of fresh milk, offers a nutritious start to the day.

The second-place honour went to students from RUA, who produced processed cheese from Khmer cashew nuts. 

The third-place team, from KSIT, also innovated a processed cashew cheese.

Minister of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction Say Sam Al attended the event.

Praising the competition, he noted, "There is now a culture of curiosity and research that has grown significantly compared to ten years ago." 

He emphasised the importance of research initiatives in driving innovative thinking and highlighted the potential of Cambodian flora, such as a unique succulent with medicinal properties and the versatile Cardamom plants grown in the Teab Chheang community in Koh Kong province.

This year's theme, "Innovation in Plant-Based Products: Enhancing Value and Health Benefits for Domestic and International Markets", underscores the importance of integrating innovation into the country’s rich tradition of plant-based care to address contemporary health challenges and market demands. 

Hay Ly Eang, president of the Kinal Foundation, stressed the urgency of this theme in light of rising cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes in the country, often linked to the 'Westernisation' of diets. 

"Our food should be our first medicine," he asserted, emphasising the Kingdom’s longstanding tradition of utilising plant-based care for health and wellness.

He said that promoting this national heritage through innovation is not only a cultural and economic endeavour but also a testament to the potential of Cambodian students in the agri-food and agricultural production sectors. 

Launched in 2017, the Thnot d'Or Awards, as part of the social and economic responsibility (CSR) policy of PPM-Confirel Group, aims to inspire and empower Cambodian students to become pivotal players in rural development through research and innovation.