Sustainable Assets for Agriculture Markets, Business and Trade-MRD

The Royal Government of Cambodia has received funding from the International Fund Agriculture Development (IFAD) and European Investment Bank (EIB) in the form of loan to implement Sustainable Assets for Agriculture Markets, Business and Trade (SAAMBAT) project. The Objective of SAAMBAT is to “Sustainably increase productivity of youth, enterprises and the rural economy” which in turn contributes to the Goal of “Reduce Poverty and Enhance Food Security.” SAAMBAT is implemented through two Components: (1) Value Chain Infrastructure; and (2) Skills, Technology and Enterprise. These components are designed to deliver two key Outcomes: (1) Poor rural people’s benefits from market participation increased; and (2) Poor rural people’s productive capacities increased.

About 200,000 rural households are expected to benefit from services supported by the project. These households will be located in 50 agriculture production areas known as Economic Poles. SAAMBAT infrastructure projects will be located in any of 50 agriculture production areas known as Economic Poles (EP). The EP will be areas of approximately District size with an integrated economy based on smallholder agriculture and defined by physical features such as topography, transport and market infrastructure or a key value chain. EP will be selected in areas that have ongoing activities of ASPIRE and / or AIMS. It is planned to select EP in the following 12 Provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Preah Vihear, Pursat, Takeo, Stung Treng and Svay Rieng.