Capacity building is necessary for farmers’ organizations in Cambodia

It is the fact that farmers’ organization in Cambodia need to be strong for both capacity/knowledge and finance to ensure that farmers and small farmers can continue to work on farms, thus to contribute actively to nutritious and safe food with sustainability. Though, there is good business plan, however farmers, especially small farmers are hard to ensure the sustainability of their organization to serve the interests of farmer members at this moment without sufficient funding to reach the business and action plans, it is nothing.

Farmers, especially small farmers in this threatened situation provoked by the Covid-19 are also facing problems with climate change and markets. Markets for farmers in Cambodia are key concerns after knowledge included knowledge on uses of digital technology, capital and irrigation systems. In this regard, the Cambodia Farmers’ Organization Platform Consortium (CFAP, FCFD, FNN and FWN) agreed together to organize a three day training course on business planning for farmer leaders. After this training course, then the farmer leaders will use knowledge to revitalize their organizations to reach the organizational and financial sustainability. Due threats of Covid-9, therefore the training course is conducted via a virtual conference under funding by the Asia Pacific Farmers’ Program (APFP).

CFAP in this regard is exploring best action plans to help farmers, especially small farmers in the rural society in Cambodia to empower markets for the farming communities to ensure that farming family does not mean only to produce food, but also doing business and networking with relevant stakeholders such as consumers and big companies.