Rural Poverty Reduction and Market Access-CROP-MA-2008

• Project no: 0312-08cam
• Contract no: 08cam-5108-08at-1621

Project 2008

Cambodian Farmers’ Association Federation for Agricultural Development (CamFAD) developed from the Cambodian Farmers’ Association for Agricultural Development in Svay Rieng, is a non-profit and non-governmental farmer organization working for integrated community development to alleviate the poverty of Rural Cambodian people, which does not work for any political parties and improve the wealth-fare of human beings in local communities directly through the development of economic activities, education, health and social culture and follow a non-profit and non-personal benefit ethnic. Its aim is to promote social development without hunger and insufficiency of food in the rural areas of Cambodia in the future and initiatives in improving the living standard of rural people in Cambodia.

In 2007, CamFAD has developed its policy access to the governing structure under the resource support from external institutions. CamFAD achieved to broaden its activities as the umbrella organization (Federation) under the new legal constitution recognized by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) No. 583 Sor Chor Nor on 25 May 2007. The new logo of CamFAD has also developed as the legal symbol in the national level and continues working directly with small producer groups in rural Cambodia and will reach its first General Assembly and election of leaders in 2009 as determined in the by-law of CamFAD.

CamFAD allows the elected leaders to join actively in the regular executive committee meeting of CamFAD (board of directors). These boards will play the key roles within the committee meeting and discuss and solve their problems by themselves. Through CamFAD’s special meetings with leaders, members and relevant sectors. The organization decided to create a new federation in order to represent all existing local associations, FOs and Communities Based CBs which their leaders are elected and officially registered as a member of the federation.

1. Project background and rationale: CamFAD wants to expand its activities from 1 (work area in 2007) to 3 provinces in 2008, and its main aim is to improve the living standard of farmers by strengthening producing activities of small farmers through ecological farming; agricultural credit and sustainable farming practices. Target group are vulnerable small farmers, with an expected outreach of about 3500 individuals and their dependents, with 60% women.

2. The aim of this project is to contribute to poverty alleviation and improve food security in the 3 target provinces first through diversification into small-scale agro-ecology, handicrafts and other sustainable farming practices and linking farmers to market and supporting small scale agro-enterprises.

General Objectives

1- Provide training and relevant facilities in order to impart appropriate techniques of agricultural production; livestock production; aquaculture production and food production and knowledge in initiatives aimed at increasing the quantity and quality of farmers’ products and giving them access to a sustainable and proper income through the sale of their products in the markets.

2- Diversifying income generation, food entitlements and minimize the hunger gap period of rural farmers in 3 provinces in Cambodia.

3- Strengthening the livelihoods of vulnerable households in order to avoid discrimination in the society and promote solidarity amongst the poor, medium and the riches.

Specific objectives/services

1- Increase agricultural output and income generation through subsidized seeds, breed stocks distribution, cash provisions, training to improve appropriate agricultural skills; livestock and aquaculture practices, market access, especially the support to gender groups in agro-enterprises, small handicraft activities etc.

2- Broaden household incomes portfolios by enabling access to livestock and training in breeding.

3- The training of roles and responsibilities of VFA, VWA and CFA and Communities Based (CB) leaders will conduct to verify that they can manage their own activities in a proper manner with high responsibility, the leaders of CFA, CB which has legally registered as a member of the federation will become a BoD member of CamFAD.

Main activities

– training on sustainable agricultural and livestock practices; small enterprises/handicrafts and agricultural processing techniques

– support marketing information

– subsidized distribution of high quality seeds (rice, vegetables)

– distribution of agric. inputs like piglets, chicken, fingerlings (against a interest rate of 2% per month, to be used by CAMFAD
to become more financially sustainable)

– establishment of rural cooperative market in Svay Rieng

– study tours, workshops etc.

– Subsidized distribution of related technical training documents to members etc.