Climate resilient maize and poultry value chains in Cambodia

Recognising the crucial role of women in agriculture, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding a transformative project led by SNV from 2023 to 2025. This initiative aims to empower 4000 maize and chicken farmers, especially women, through comprehensive training and capacity-building.

Maize and chicken value chains are crucial for rural livelihoods in Cambodia, where women play pivotal roles in managing household finances, overseeing produce sales, and farming, contributing to economic resilience.

However, women in agriculture often encounter unique challenges and have distinct training needs. The training modules are meticulously crafted to enhance farmers' knowledge, skills, and practices, enabling them to bolster farm productivity, profitability, and resilience to climate change. For women, this entails training on managing household finances, marketing produce, and understanding the implications of pesticides on human and environmental health.

In poultry production, women undertake multifaceted responsibilities, including decision-making, budgeting, and day-to-day care of the chickens and ducks. They actively engage in egg collection, packaging, and the creation of value-added poultry products. Moreover, women are encouraged to establish their own small-scale farms, hatcheries, or processing units, fostering entrepreneurship and knowledge-sharing within their communities.

Similarly, in maize production, women's contributions are invaluable. They actively participate in planting, harvesting, and weed management, sharing equal responsibilities with men in non-labour-intensive farming tasks. Furthermore, women exhibit a keen eye for detail, particularly concerning the impact of pesticides on human and environmental health. Consequently, training modules pertaining to managing household finances and marketing produce are tailored to address the needs of female household members.

Beyond empowering women in agriculture, this project aims to acknowledge and support their substantial contributions to the sector. By providing targeted training and resources, the initiative endeavours to enhance the productivity and economic prosperity of women farmers, thereby fostering the overall development and sustainability of Cambodia's agricultural sector.