Sowing the Seeds of Change in the Tonle Sap Basin in Cambodia
Channel: Asian Development Bank
Date: 2024-01-23

Cambodia – This small Southeast Asian country produces some of the region’s best fragrant rice and is on the cusp of dramatically increasing its output to the world market. However, challenges remain and poverty still impacts Cambodia’s rural population. 

In response, ADB and IFAD, in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia, established the Tonle Sap Poverty Reduction and Smallholder Development Project and its Additional Financing (TSSD-AF) to improve access to quality rice seed. The project, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in close collaboration with the National Committee for Subnational Democratic Development Secretariat, supports 270 communes in the Tonle Sap basin. 

The project addresses issues of low productivity, the pervasive use of low-quality rice seed, weak value chains, and the rice sector’s vulnerability to climate change. 

The project increases household income through agricultural diversification, and by sharing information through on-farm demonstrations and technical training.

The project supports two agricultural stations to produce high-quality, registered rice seed through the use of foundation seed. 

The result has seen a dramatic increase in the production and use of quality certified rice seed. Market Improvement Groups (MIGs) that use quality rice seed have helped farming communities access new markets. 

The TSSD-AF project is supporting smallholder farmers by improving their rice crop yield and building their future resilience. 

Chapters:
0:02 - Sowing the Seeds of Change
0:44 - Jyotsana Varma, Country Director, Cambodia Resident Mission, ADB
1:29 - Frew Behabtu, Country Director – Cambodia, Asia and the Pacific Division, IFAD

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