Economic Development Project - Cambodia
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We received this update from World Vision on 17 November 2009.
In the past month, the project team has partnered with the established Community for Agriculture Development Cooperative to develop policies, and improve processes around the provision of cash loans and agricultural (seeds) loans to farmers from the rural provinces of Pailin and Samlot.
The Project found that more and more farmers have been taking out small loans. As a result, farmers are using better seeds and better quality fertilisers. The loans also enable them to have access to better farming tools such as small mechanised ploughs and hoes. Ultimately, the amount and quality of their products improved overall.
Another important development last month was the organising of a large forum for maize growers from the targeted area. The forum aimed to provide growers with technical advice on how to produce larger and better quality yields. Fifty six people attended the forum, and the added benefit of the event was that the farmers had the opportunity to get in contact with potential buyers. If farmers can see that there are companies with whom they can partner to sell their grain, they feel more confident in investing time and the small amount of funds they have to increase their yields. Farmers came away feeling they had a better understanding of marketing principles and how to apply these to their farming, and were able to network with commercial companies.
Case Study
Earlier in the year, the Project also ran workshops in Participatory Appraisal of Competitive Advantage (PACA) with the communities of Pailin and Samlot. The workshops bring together a range of businesses, poor farmers, local government, and traders from a targeted area to work together and identify ways that existing or new business ideas can be stimulated and expanded.
Mr. Meas Tuon was involved in the PACA exercise in Samlot. Mr. Tuon works for the Department of Agriculture, and complements his salary with some small scale agricultural activities. Part of one of the PACA workshops, a problem that was raised related to the high price of corn seeds as a result of a local company having a monopoly on the supply of the seeds within that area. The participants advised that many of them could not afford to travel the 80 kilometres to the nearest town of Battambang to purchase cheaper seed, and, therefore, were limited in what they could grow.
Mr. Tuon thought he might be able to help the farmers and started testing, growing white and yellow corn for seed on a hectare of his land. The test turned out to be successful, and, now, he can sell corn seeds to the local farmers at a lesser rate than the local competitor’s. Given his success, Mr. Tuon decided he would grow more seeds for the next harvest. While he is not poor himself, the development of his small business has been beneficial for many of the poor local farmers on a large scale.
“It is encouraging to hear stories such as Mr. Tuon’s. Many Cambodians are very enterprising and are always looking for ways to invest and improve. Their efforts have often been hampered by a lack of available capital or opportunities, but the Economic Development Project has helped to address this problem. It brings people together, skills and encourages them to find their own solutions. It is also encouraging that Saward Dawson and Entrust have provided so much support to our project. It means a lot to the communities we are working with who have so little in rural Cambodia,” commented Ms. Julie Smith, Country Program Coordinator, Asia Team from World Vision Australia.
Images used by permission of World Vision and Entrust
Published : 17 November 2009