Page 32 - Agricultural innovation

4.2. Model of Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Cambodia (CPSA)
4.2.1. General information

Cambodia Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture, known as CPSA, is a multi-stakeholder platform,
compared to a networking group having many parties involved, established by Grow Asia in
collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Cambodia in 2016. CPSA
works in collaboration with the Cambodian government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Commerce, private sectors, Farmer Organizations, Finance
Institutions, Civil Societies, and other key stakeholders. “They work together to address food security
system issues in Cambodia”, according to Mr. Ly Sereyrith, Manager Director of the Cambodia
Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (CPSA).
CPSA is primed to improve the productivity, inclusiveness and competitiveness of Cambodia’s
agriculture sector and to equip farmers (growers) with market intelligence and business linkages
towards high-value exports where price and volume will not be hindrance. To achieve these, CPSA
provides a platform for collaboration which adheres to its principles, such as (1) multi-stakeholder and
inclusive, (2) market-led, (3) smallholder focused, (4) and locally-driven.

4.2.2. Model development
To scale up its work to a broader level, CPSA formed three working groups which focused on various
sectors, including (1) Cashew Working Group—Cashew production in Cambodia was relatively
stable between 2004 and 2013. Cambodia had increased land for cashew cultivation since 2014, from
97,613 to 203,807 hectares in 2018. (2) Agri-Food SMEs Working Group—Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in Cambodia’s economy, contributing to 70 percent
of the total employment and 58 percent of the sales value in industry (Ministry of Industry and
Handicraft, Department of SMEs). Additionally, 33 percent of MSMEs are women-owned. (3) and
Fruits & Vegetable Working Group—Currently, more than 50 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables
consumed in Cambodia are imported from Thailand, Vietnam and China. Due to the stable economic
growth in recent years, Cambodia’s rising middle-class is driving demand for safe and locally
produced fruit and vegetables. Moreover, within these three groups, there are more than one hundred
partners or networks. CPSA also works on project implementations for its donors, namely Khmer
Enterprise—apprenticeship program for youths with a six-month training from CPSA related to
entrepreneurship, leadership, business skill, business planning, to work with targeted communities.
And from International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)—mostly short-term projects,
including case study on Contract Farming along the Mekong Region, Voluntary Sustainability System,
Responsible Agricultural Investment, Agtech Innovation, and Women Economic’s Empowerment.
CPSA can provide any consultation regarding agricultural concerns to its donors, government, NGOs,
civil societies as well as its networking groups.
Until now, CPSA cannot define its specific targeted cooperating partners or regions as its scope
of work is wide, working across the country. Mostly those who involved with [CPSA] live in Phnom
Penh, but they have their sectoral networking (farmers) along the provinces such as Kampong Thom,
Mondulkiri, Kratie, Rattanak Kiri, Bontea Meanchey, Steung Treng, Preah Vihear, Kampong Cham,
Siem Reap, etc… Approximately more than ten thousand people, including farmers (key suppliers)
and other representatives, are working closely with these four working groups. Each group has its own
networking along the provinces, for example Cashew Working Group has networking in Mondulkiri,
Kampong, Preah Vihear, etc. The term “networking” refers to small-scale farmers, the main suppliers
to CPSA’s working groups, obviously Cashew Working Group.
For the time being, CPSA focuses on three key strategic areas for the year ahead, including:

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