CHAIN - Cambodian Horticulture Advancing Income and Nutrition

Agriculture continues to dominate the Cambodian economy, accounting for 21 percent of the GDP and has absorbed 32 percent of employment in 2019, and expected to increase during the period of COVID-19 outbreak and economic slowdown in 2020/21. The overall economic growth is projected to drop from 7 to 2.3 percent in 2020. Agriculture sector is expected to gain more importance in the livelihoods of those people migrating back to rural areas, including youth.

Cambodia is not self-sufficient in vegetables, about 300,000 tons get imported annually and linked to the seasonality of production in Cambodia. Imported vegetables are often associated with high contamination of chemical and pesticide residues.

Women provide a large share of labour in agriculture, about 50 percent of them are illiterate and still struggle with access to land, financial services, markets and agricultural technology.

Over 60 percent of small-scale farms are relying on rain water and have inefficient irrigation systems.

To improve small farmers’ productivity and the shift from subsistence farming towards commercial farming are key policies of the Government. Public and private partnerships are increasingly playing a prominent role. The demand for local safe vegetables and fruits has increased, which stimulates market opportunities for poor farming communities. Investments in access to water and introduction of climate-smart agriculture technologies in response to climate change are key to improve year-round production and to increase income for poor farmers. 

Primary target groups are: 

-    Poor small households farmers

-    Indigenous People/Communities

-    Traders (vegetable’s wholesalers and retailers)

-    Young migrants workers

-    Small and Medium size of agriculture Inputs Suppliers

-    Government at national and sub-national levels

-    Rural communities affected by COVID19

7,200 households (43,200 persons): 6,000 direct semi- commercial and commercial farmers and 1,200 Indirect farmers.

1.    More efficient and inclusive local market systems in which smallholder farmers and private sector undertake profitable production and business; 

2.    Increased management/steering by provincial and sub-provincial government institutions; 

3.    Improved policies and performance by national level government institutions and private sector.

Risultati principali attesi:  

1.    65 Lead-farmer incubator programme implemented in four provinces; 

2.    Rural Agribusiness accelerator programme implemented in four provinces, supporting local market actors (traders and inputs suppliers) to expand business; 

3.    Market actors (public and private) in the four provinces offer technical advice about smart water solutions and CAMGAP technical practices (gender responsive); 

4.    Provincial horticulture strategies and investment planning in four provinces in place; 

5.    Resource enhancement & water management planning exploration process documented for selected districts; 

6. Technical assistance action plan implemented for Provincial & Districts institutions regarding planning and co-investments; 

7. National Horticulture policy finalised and endorsed by Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF); 

Horticulture Stakeholder Platform, including smart water solutions platform in place.

Risultati fasi precedenti:  

-    Increased the supply of local safe vegetables for sale in four provincial markets from 32% (2018) to 52% in 2020; 

-    Reached out to 10,200 farmers (73% female, 7% Indigenous People -IP); 

-    Four Business-to-Business provincial horticulture platforms between public and private actors are in place and active;

-    Sixteen Traders have doubled their income by buying up to 25 tons daily of safe vegetables from farmer groups; 

-    Twenty agriculture inputs retailers who have engaged with the project have doubled their sales and revenue; 

-    80% of CHAIN female farmers reported that their workload in vegetable production had been reduced; 

-    The average annual net income of semi-commercial and commercial farmers ♀:54% is triple or four times increased; 

-    Increased access to technical knowledge and price information by using existing digital ICT/mobile and Apps.

IFAD-funded projects ASPIRE & AIMS

DFAT-funded project CAVAC ll

USAID-funded project HARVEST2

SDC Projects (PaFF, SDP, RED lV, DRAW)

Fase 3 01.01.2021 - 31.12.2022   (Completed)