US-funded Cambodia Harvest II project launched

A $17 million project funded by the US government that aims to accelerate growth in Cambodia’s commercial horticulture sector and help farmers in four provinces to connect with buyers and improve market linkages was launched yesterday. The Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II project will be implemented over a period of five years in Pursat, Battambang, Siem Reap and Kampong Thom provinces, said a USAID announcement.

Alexis Ellicott, Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II chief of party, said the project will identify buyers and link them to farmers to meet their demand. “We are not counting the number of farmers necessarily, but if we’d like some numbers, we are anticipating an increase of $37 million in sales in horticulture, $12 million in investment in the horticulture sector, and 18,000 jobs created,” Ms Ellicott said.

The project, in part, is to help Cambodia reduce imports of vegetables from neighboring countries, Ms Ellicott said. “Cambodian farmers are better linked to buyers and they will be able to get more products to markets which will then provide more options for consumers.

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