Rachana-WEE in Agriculture RACHANA, are proposing the new project proposal on Women Economic Empowerment in Agriculture (WEE), this project contributes to address the key problems that have affected to the women who are living at rural areas; especially the women are in the targetareas. They are playing the important roles in family in the social agricultural and health sectors. As we knew that the poverty, especially the economic conditions in Takoe province continue to force many men to seek work overseas; then left behind the women engage more with the agricultural sectors. It curbs the need for migration in order to reduce household debt and increases productivity. The knowledge and skills of women required to do responses such roles from producing and processing produce, especially agriculture produce,to selling it at markets.

The aim of this project is to improve women#s economic position in agriculture value chains so that women enjoy a bigger share of the value they produce. In phase I (July 2018 # Jun 2019), by targeting the 45 villages of ten communes intwo rural districts of Takeo province, Treang and Koah Andet district, the project will work directly with 1,750 farmers (75% women) and benefit 7,000 people indirectly, including 4,200 women and 2,800 men.

The project#s overall objectives are: i). Participants of the project organized in formal and informal groups to develop business and leadership skills; ii). men and women farmers enhancethe quantity and quality of their products, obtain better prices, and reduce their exposure to risk; and iii). participant women#s collective better representation and voice influence positively private sector and government policies to create a more equitable economic environment. The 3 main expected result of the project forthree year implementation are: women smallholder farmers will have increased the quantity and quality of their products, obtained better prices, and reduced their exposure to risk; women participating in collective groups (formal or informal) will have increased their power and opportunities to compete and engage successfully in their local markets; and more women farmers are recognized and self- recognized as primary agents in family economic development.
The project will seek men#s participation and involvement to challenge gender imbalances. By the women will be involved to improve their capabilities applying roles in the social and agricultural economics, empower for the decision-making, control of asserts and participate in the social and politicalevents. The women and their families are living to adapting the climate change resilience and disaster risk reduction, increasing the agriculture production, promoting to access the Micro-finance institutes for capital investment; they are also encouraged to work in the collective approach for the value chain and to influence the market prices. It will support women collectives# access to key inputs, information and skills, and their capacity to influence positively private sector and government policiesand practices.

This project is expected to improve women#s economic position in agriculture value chains, during the project implementation, the 1750 small households farmers (80% are women) receive the long seasonal training on climate resilience agriculture technique based on identified potential commodities to be improved; GAP/SRP, post-harvest and soil fertility management, mulching, crop diversity, climate change; sustainable women-friendly homestead models sustainable women-friendly homestead models; women entrepreneurship; ability to develop and conduct business plan and smart agriculture plan. Moreover, they will receive the start-up inputs from the project and support in linking to the micro-finance institutes for access loan for their business investment.