Cambodia's climate action game-changer: resilient agricultural value chains

Cambodia’s lack of infrastructure is largely due to its history of conflict, low population density, and limited economic capacity to invest in infrastructure.

One of the key ways that GCF will improve climate resilience at each stage of the value chain is by investing in critical infrastructure. In particular, the rehabilitation of irrigation and water management systems, the development of climate-resilient road networks, and the construction of innovative biodigesters.

Reliable access to water

The lack of irrigation systems and other water infrastructure restricts most farmers to a single rain-fed crop per year. The reliance on increasingly volatile rain levels leaves farmers vulnerable, while poor on-farm water management is constraining production. Anticipated changes in rainfall regimes from climate change are expected to make the situation even worse

The project will therefore seek to construct or rehabilitate at least 800 on-farm water catchment ponds and small reservoirs, which will increase water availability for crop production in at least 15,000 ha, making at least 25,000 households more resilient to climate shocks or slow onset climate changes.

"Rehabilitating irrigation systems and canals like this one in Kbal Touk is so important because it ensures that farmers have stable access to water," according to Irrigation Design Engineer Khin Toda. "The spillways also help control damage during floods."

In addition, laser land levelling and drip irrigation systems will be introduced at farm level to effectively prepare the land and manage water resources. Laser land levelling, a simple operation using lasers to ensure the cropland is as flat as possible, can reap massive returns such as increasing yields, saving water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, on-farm drip irrigation systems will focus on mango crops, which are highly vulnerable to rain patterns.  Introducing drip irrigation for mango production will improve the quality of the fruit, increase yields, and reduce the value chain’s sensitivity to climate change and climate variability

Connecting people through roads

Road workers receive training on using land surveying equipment. Photo: GCF/Christopher Rompré

As Cambodian farmers face increasingly variable weather conditions, having easy and reliable roads to access markets and supply chains is critical. However, many of Cambodia’s rural road networks are severely underdeveloped and easily disrupted by flooding or heavy rainfall.

"For example, there was a two-week flood in 2011," explains road design specialist Sam Sothearo. "It caused losses and damage of nearly USD 600 million to rural infrastructure, especially farm road networks, and made life more difficult for farmers who were already struggling to deal with the flood."

The Climate-Friendly Agribusiness Value Chains Sector Project aims to upgrade and improve at least 250 kilometers of farm roads and tracks. The improved roads include climate-resilient features such as:

• increasing embankment heights
• providing cross drainage
• selecting embankment materials suitable for increased permeability
• green planning (bioengineering) to protect from erosion and landslides

GCF will support the upgrading and climate-proofing of these rural roads by providing a USD 4.7 million loan and a USD 3.6 million grant.

Turning waste into renewable energy

A biodigester under construction in Kampong Cham province. Photos: GCF/Christopher Rompré

Another innovative aspect of the project is the deployment of rural renewable energy infrastructure. In particular, GCF is supporting the installation of 12,000 biodigesters. The biodigesters are remarkable because they can take waste such as food scraps, oil, grease, yard waste, and animal manure, and turn it into biofuels and rich fertilizer.

Douk Radaly, Deputy Director of Kampong Cham Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries sees a bright future for the biodigesters.

A biodigester under construction in Kampong Cham province. Photos: GCF/Christopher Rompré

The biodigesters will provide health and productivity benefits to approximately 90,000 persons, including nearly 45,000 women, due to improved household air quality and time saved from not having to collect fuel wood for cooking. An estimate of 268,000 biodigester units are planned in the project’s four target provinces (Kampong Cham, Tbong Khmum, Kampot, and Takeo), providing enormous potential to reduce emissions and air pollution.

Climate-resilient seed varieties

A critical component of strengthening farmers’ climate resilience is making the seeds they plant more resilient. GCF is supporting the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to develop and distribute climate-resilient varieties of rice and maize, two critical crops in Cambodia’s agricultural sector. These seeds will include tolerance to higher temperatures, salt water, drought, and prolonged submersion. Additional varieties will also have shorter cropping cycles allowing multiple yearly harvests.

Back in Kampong Thom, Sim Dany is one of the famers to get access to new rice varieties.

The adoption of climate-resilient varieties will be an essential aspect of the climate-resilient agriculture trainings described below. GCF will contribute USD 2.785 million grant to support the identification and multiplication of climate-resilient seed materials and varieties.

Climate-friendly agriculture

The challenge of effectively addressing climate change is compounded by outdated production tools and farming techniques. The lack of access to effective training, reliable extension services and accurate climate information services prevent farmers from effectively accessing markets and also from effectively coping with climate change.

GCF is supporting a broad programme of training and capacity development, collectively referred to as climate-resilient agriculture. These trainings will address innovative, climate-resilient practices such as laser land levelling, alternate wetting and drying, sustainable agricultural waste management, rational use of inputs (water, energy fertilisers, and pesticides), agroforestry, soil cover maintenance techniques, and many other modern practices that result in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing yields and crop resilience.

To support climate-resilient agriculture, GCF is contributing a USD 7.1 million grant to deploy a farmer-focused training programme, reaching more than 40,000 farmers. At least 40 per cent of these farmers will be women. Climate-resilient agriculture, combined with investments in rural infrastructure and inputs, will harness untapped potential to increase yields, support sustainable livelihoods, and reduce emissions.

Community-driven farming

Agricultural cooperative head Mach Sarou at the group's rice milling facility. Photo: GCF/Christopher Rompré

While investment in infrastructure and hands-on training are the most visible parts of the project, it is actually the development and support of agricultural cooperatives (ACs) that plays the most important role in establishing long-term climate-friendly supply chains. ACs play a central role in farming communities - and have enormous potential to support small-holder farmers. They support farmers by providing physical value chain infrastructure like drying, storage, and processing facilities, but also by serving as a venue that encourages farmers to work together to enhance their bargaining power, product marketing, and knowledge sharing.

Mach Sarou, the head of an AC in Phnom Bros village, says "I think forming an agricultural cooperative was crucial for us. Firstly, we are able to build a collective voice to advocate with the government, for example, to subsidise new technologies and good quality seeds, and build irrigation systems. In addition, we can take a firm stand with the buyers about the value of our crops. If we don't unite to set the cost of our crops, the buyers won't listen to us!"

Despite their critical role, many ACs are underdeveloped or do not sufficiently include poorer small-holder farmers. As part of their capacity building, alongside climate-resilient agricultural training, GCF is supporting the development of ACs through management training, policy, and the upgrading of AC infrastructure. The proposed interventions will encourage the private sector to work more closely with farmers and ACs through public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements. Women and other vulnerable groups will be proactively involved in the identification, selection, and implementation of agribusiness investments and women-led agro-enterprises will be explicitly supported.