Just under 80 percent of the Cambodian
population lives in rural areas, and 66 percent of Cambodians depend on
agriculture for their livelihoods. However, only 22 percent of the land is
arable, and although figure are down significantly since studies in 1995 and
2000, 3 million people in the country still face undernourishment.
X
FAO's main in-country programmes
Special
Programme for Food Security
FAO has
been assisting Cambodia in the field of food security since 1998 through the
Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). This initially focused on four
components: water management, diversification, intensification and constraints
analysis.
The
programme was expanded in 2003 to include capacity-building projects for farmers
and staff of the Ministry of Agriculture on crop intensification and
diversification, small-scale irrigation and micro-enterprise development. The
projects used participatory methods including the establishment of farmers'
organizations and 180 Farmer Field Schools. Support was also provided to small
group enterprises in diversification and natural resource management.
These
projects were funded by the UN Human Security Fund, the Government of Italy,
the OPEC Fund for International Development and the UN Fund for International
Partnership, as well as through the Technical Cooperation Programme and SPFS
funds.
National Programme for Food Security
FAO
provided technical and financial support to Cambodia for the formulation of a
National Programme for Food Security and Poverty Reduction. The Programme aims
to scale up the good practices established under the SPFS to 8 000 villages
between 2006 and 2010. It is part of a broader Food Security Support Programme
of the National Strategy for Agriculture and Water, jointly implemented by the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Water
Resources and Meteorology.
The
cost of the Food Security Support Programme is estimated at US$50 million:
US$43 million for a component on community self-reliance for food security and
poverty reduction; US$2.6 million for enhancement of institutional and policy
for food security and nutrition and improving the information base; and US$4.4
million for programme management.
EMPRES animal health component
The
Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and
Diseases (EMPRES) is focusing on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in
Cambodia. The country has experienced outbreaks of avian influenza since 2004.
The first outbreak was reported in January 2004 and the most recent in December
2008. Out of eight human cases reported, seven persons died.
In line
with the government's National Comprehensive Plan against Avian Influenza
Pandemic, FAO is supporting the National Veterinary Research Institute in
controlling the disease at its source. Achievement of this goal will
significantly reduce the threat of pandemic influenza originating from a source
within Cambodia, thereby helping to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of
rural, peri-urban and urban populations.
FAO's
activities aim to:
-
strengthen
national disease surveillance capacity through the training of village animal
health workers and village chiefs, market surveillance, and wild bird
surveillance;
-
strengthen
laboratory capacity to undertake diagnosis for HPAI;
-
reinforce
the capacity of the authorities in HPAI containment operations and in
reporting;
-
promote
biosecurity in poultry and duck production at farm level;
-
improve
public awareness and information on HPAI in animals through education and
communication campaigns and surveys; and
-
improve
the legislative environment for the support of HPAI prevention and control.
Livelihoods support
FAO is
implementing a project to support smallholder livestock production in Cambodia.
It aims to increase the rate of growth of livestock GDP, thereby contributing
to the reduction of poverty and food insecurity in rural areas.
Following
a request from the government, FAO is also providing support to Cambodia under
its Initiative on Soaring Food Prices. In 2008, 88 tonnes of rice seed and 140
tonnes of fertilizer were distributed to 7 476 affected farming households in
the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampot and Takeo. FAO will
continue to assist the government in providing support to vulnerable rural
families to enable them to overcome the impact of natural and man-made
disasters and enhance their ability to cope with future shocks.
National Medium Term Priority Framework
The
Government of Cambodia and FAO jointly launched the FAO National Medium Term
Priority Framework 2006-2010 in Phnom Penh in May 2006. The framework will be
pursued in a broad partnership with other UN agencies to enhance coordination
and effectiveness. It supplements and contributes to the strategic objectives
of the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2006-2010 for Cambodia.
Priority activities are:
-
sector
and sub-sector policy assistance and advocacy;
-
national
programme for food security and poverty reduction;
-
productivity
and competitiveness enhancement in agriculture;
-
community-based
natural resources management; and
-
animal,
fish and plant disease control, food safety and emergency response to natural
disaster.
UNDAF
The UN
country team has identified areas of cooperation where the UN can collectively
make a difference and add real value to development and poverty reduction in
Cambodia. Priority areas are:
-
good
governance and the promotion and protection of human rights;
-
agriculture
and rural development;
-
capacity
building and human resources development for the social sector; and
-
development
of the national strategic development plan.
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