Partnering for ecologically-sound agriculture and resilient livelihoods in Cambodia

Background

Cambodia is exposed and highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The country’s agriculture sector is particularly at risk from impacts associated with increasing average temperatures, changes in the duration of the dry season, and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events such as droughts. To increase the resilience of its agriculture sector and dependent livelihoods, Cambodia’s NDC priority actions include a range of measures such as the scaling-up of climate-smart farming systems and improving the accessibility of agrometeorological services. Cambodia’s NDC also highlights the importance of enhancing gender responsiveness.[i]

Activities

Designed by FAO and Cambodia and approved in 2023, the GCF project ‘Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)’, is designed to support implementation of Cambodia’s NDC adaptation priorities in the agriculture sector. The project equips farmers and other stakeholders with access to tailored and crop-specific agrometeorological advisory services delivered through strengthened inter-institutional coordination and capacity. Through systematic agricultural extension services, the project provides guidance on how to better use these advisories and related measures to anticipate and address risks to agricultural operations from climate variability and change. PEARL also works through certification programs for key crops such as rice, mango, and cashews to provide a basis for value chain development and the building of adaptive capacity: beneficiary groups can develop business plans for climate change resilient, inclusive and gender-responsive premium value chains and highlight core investment needs, including technologies to support the adoption of climate-resilient agriculture. These technologies could include solar water pumps, drip irrigation systems, and machinery and equipment for food processing and storage, to avoid post-harvest losses. The access to climate resilient technologies is facilitated through the Farmer-led Agricultural Resilience Mechanism (FARM). Eligible agricultural stakeholders can use the FARM for implementing their crop- and climate-specific business plans. The FARM ensures that business plans: 1) are based on a thorough climate change risk screening; 2) support the acquisition of climate-smart agricultural technologies; 3) train beneficiary groups in setting-up trust fund accounts to support further community driven investment; and 4) establish linkages with complementary agricultural financial institutions.[ii]

Impact

PEARL implements adaptation actions as detailed in Cambodia’s NDC. By improving the position of farmers along the food value chain, while promoting agro-ecological practices, enhancing accessibility to agro-met data and information, and improving the financial capacities of agricultural stakeholders, the project contributes to enhancing the climate change resilience of the entire food system in Cambodia.

Sources

[i] Kingdom of Cambodia. (2020). Cambodia’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution. Retrieved from https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/NDC/2022-06/20201231_NDC_Update_Cambodia.pdf.

[ii]https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp199-fao-cambodia_0.pdf