PHNOM PENH, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a 72-million-U.S.-dollar financing package to help Cambodia strengthen rural farming and increase women's participation in agriculture, according to its press release on Monday.
The financing consists of a 57-million-dollar concessional loan and a 15-million-dollar grant, the press release said, adding that the Smallholder Resilient Economic Development Sector Project will enhance the resilience of about 200,000 smallholder farmers in disaster-prone communes.
"Investing in smallholder farmers, particularly women, is essential for boosting the rural economy and supporting poor communities that are most vulnerable to extreme weather events," said ADB Country Director for Cambodia Yasmin Siddiqi.
"By helping women lead and participate in local decision-making and development programs, this project will scale up inclusive agricultural value chains and strengthen food systems, while driving women-led businesses and supporting families to build healthier, more secure, and resilient futures," she added.
Overlapping natural hazards such as heatwaves, drought, and flooding acutely impact Cambodia's agriculture and food systems, damaging infrastructure, limiting market access, and exacerbating food insecurity, particularly in rural areas where 59 percent of the country's population lives, the press release said.
Women, representing 51 percent of Cambodia's agricultural labor force, remain among the most vulnerable as they face limited access to economic opportunities, support, and financing, it added.
The project will upgrade agricultural infrastructure and services across 186 communes in seven provinces severely vulnerable to natural hazards, it said, adding that it will modernize irrigation systems to serve an additional 7,000 hectares of farmland and rehabilitate 190 kilometers of access roads to connect farmers to markets, jobs, and opportunities.
"The project will provide farmers with technical support and training to upgrade their skills and adopt resilient practices in crop production, horticulture, poultry, insect farming, and aquaculture," the press release said. "It will offer grants to help farmers reduce dependence on imported fuel and fertilizers and boost their resilience to disasters and global shocks." ■
