Cambodia Expands ASPIRE-AT Support to 140,000 Households for Rural Resilience

PHNOM PENH, Sept 7, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia is expanding support under the Agriculture Services Programme for an Inclusive Rural Economy and Agricultural Trade (ASPIRE-AT) to 140,000 households, as the government and development partners seek to strengthen smallholder farmers’ resilience and accelerate agricultural transformation, officials said. The expansion was announced during a joint supervision mission in Phnom Penh on September 4, ahead of ASPIRE-AT’s Mid-Term Review. The mission was conducted by the Royal Government of Cambodia, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Union Delegation to Cambodia and the European Investment Bank (EIB). ASPIRE-AT now targets 140,000 households, including 15,000 through 50 Modern Agricultural Cooperatives (MACs) — 40 focused on non-rice crops and 10 on rice. The programme supports the government’s MAC agenda through institutional strengthening, productive investment, market infrastructure and structured access to finance via the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (ARDB) and the Credit Guarantee Corporation of Cambodia (CGCC). Agriculture transformation is a government priority, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries aiming to help farmers move from fragmented production toward greater scale, improved quality and higher-value products. ASPIRE-AT Project Director and MAFF Secretary of State Meas Pyseth said the programme was helping translate the government’s vision into practical benefits for farmers. IFAD Country Director Frew Behabtu added that the focus would be on accelerating implementation and ensuring investments in MACs lead to stronger access to finance, commercially viable rural enterprises and more reliable markets. The supervision mission visited seven provinces — Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Preah Vihear and Siem Reap — to review value chains including chicken, durian, cashew, vegetables and longan. Officials met cooperatives, farmers, buyers, SMEs and financial partners such as ARDB, CGCC, Wing Bank, Chamroeun MFI and SME Bank to discuss financing, business development and market linkages. The programme aims to strengthen cooperatives and help them progress from organisational development to market participation and investment readiness, improving income opportunities for more than 34,000 farmers, including women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable groups. ASPIRE-AT is also advancing the Support to the Export-Led Agricultural Sector in Cambodia (SELAS), while trade facilitation efforts have opened new export opportunities in China for durian, dried longan and fresh jackfruit. The expansion comes as Cambodia seeks to build a more resilient rural economy by combining agricultural investment with improved access to finance, climate-resilient production, stronger rural enterprises and better connections between farmers and markets. With IFAD marking 30 years of partnership with Cambodia, ASPIRE-AT represents a key vehicle for translating development financing into practical support for smallholder farmers and the country’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.