Private sectors and development partners are set to announce the launch of a five-year project called RiceTechCambodia (RTC) on Wednesday, which aims to improve the livelihood of small-scale farmers.
Project partners consist of SanoRice Holding BV, Amru Rice (Cambodia) Co Ltd, Oxfam, Development and Partnership in Action, Larive International BV and the Mondulkiri provincial Department of Agriculture.
RTC was awarded in June by the Sustainable Development Goals Partnership Facility, which is commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The project is a public-private initiative which aims to enhance the organic rice value chain in Cambodia and lead to inclusive growth for small scale rice farmers.
It will help farmers obtain organic rice certification, increase their productivity, enhance yields and ensure premium prices in the European market.
Oxfam in Cambodia country director Solinn Lim said she believes that smallholders deserve a fair share of the added value created in agricultural value chains, and this can be achieved through inclusive processes in which they are empowered partners.
“This partnership is built on an inclusive business model that aims to fairly benefit smallholder farmers, private companies, consumers and the government,” she said.
RTC will be implemented in a remote area of Mondulkiri province and aims to reach 2,400 small-scale rice farmers, the release said.
It said some 1,300 farmers will receive extensive training on organic agriculture and efficient agricultural practices while obtaining access to drying, storage and milling facilities to increase the quality of their products.
“All project activities will directly lead to significant improvement of the livelihoods of local small-scale rice farmers in Mondulkiri province and indirectly strengthen the general business climate in Cambodia, contributing to sustainable economic growth,” said Lim.
Amru Rice CEO Song Saran said in the release that RTC would have a positive impact on the lives of these farmers.
“By contract farming in Mondulkiri, we enable farmers to shift to quality-certified organic rice cultivation, enhance their sustainable farming practices, ensure value-addition to their raw products through the use of facilities for drying, milling and storage, and guarantee them the sales,” he said.
