Project Promotes Socio-Economic Rights of Smallholder Farmers
Project Promotes Socio-Economic Rights of Smallholder Farmers
Farmers in Siem Reap, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Thom are set to benefit from a three-year program that aims to equip them with better skills to work within the agricultural value chain
A three-year project has been rolled out in three provinces, with the aim of enhancing the capacity of agricultural organizations to empower farmers within the value chain.
Heifer Cambodia, with EU funding, launched the Civil Society Organisations for Good Governance and Green Growth in Cambodia Project (CSO4G) on Jan 31st to tackle skill gaps, market access, and finances for farmers.
“The aim is to enhance the capacity, engagement, and overall environment of farmers' organizations, enabling them to play active roles in promoting good governance and development within agricultural value chains,” said Sophea Uth, communication manager at Heifer Cambodia.
“This, in turn, seeks to advance the socio-economic rights of smallholder farmers in Cambodia.”
The project spans three years, from 2024 to 2026, and is being implemented in Siem Reap, Kampong Chhnang, and Kampong Thom provinces. It is focused on farmers who grow vegetable and chickens.
The project’s goal is to impact 16,500 families, 21 cooperatives, 200 self-help groups, and the Social Entrepreneurs Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (SEUAC) to ensure they are empowered and well positioned and to advocate for smallholder farmers’ rights.
It is taking a rights-based approach, fostering social capital through comprehensive community development with an emphasis on financial literacy. It also incorporates a market systems development approach to enhance farmers' resilience in the face of socio-economic challenges.
Nhem Sareth, country director at Heifer Cambodia, said, “We indicated that building or scaling a business isn’t easy. It takes skill, knowledge, and resources.
“Thus, the best way to build resilience is for individual communities to envision what their [farmers] future looks like and see that it’s possible. The CSO4G project's goal and partners’ mission is to help farmers build it.”
The project will provide training and assistance to self-help groups, cooperatives, and the SEUAC to deliver better services to members and increase their capacity to support smallholder farmers.