Agricultural experts and officials from Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey provinces convened in Siem Reap city this morning to launch the “Partnership for Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture in Cambodia” project, aimed at addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
The project launch highlights the growing urgency to mitigate the impacts of climate change on Cambodia’s agricultural sector.
Mr. Yun Linne, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap province, emphasised the severe threats posed by climate change to global food production and the livelihoods of vulnerable farmers. He cited increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall, storms, droughts, and floods as major challenges impacting crop yields, food prices, and food security.
“The launch of the ‘Partnership for Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture in Cambodia’ is crucial,” stated Deputy Governor Mr. Yun Linne. “It allows us to build on past achievements by ADDA and its partners, and to share new strategies for implementing climate-resilient agricultural techniques.”
The project will also focus on supporting farmer groups to connect their produce to markets, ensuring fair prices and product quality. “This project’s success hinges on the collaboration and support of all stakeholders, including government agencies, the private sector, development partners, and especially farmers and agricultural communities,” he added.
Mr. Lok Sokthea, Director of REED Cambodia, announced that the project, funded by Denmark for another three years, will expand its reach to Banteay Meanchey, in addition to its ongoing work in Siem Reap and Oddar Meanchey. The project aims to enhance the technical and economic capacity of rural communities by providing training on climate-smart agricultural techniques for rice, cassava, and vegetable crops through 160 demonstration sites.
Furthermore, the project will facilitate the formation and strengthening of 60 producer groups to connect farmers to markets through contracts, boosting agricultural productivity and profitability. The project targets to benefit approximately 13,800 families across the three provinces, including members of community groups, self-help groups, and producer groups.
Mr. Lok Sokthea expressed gratitude to the people of Denmark for their continued support, underlining the project’s contribution to reducing the impact of climate change on food production and consumption.
