In Cambodia, IIRR has implemented climate-smart village (CSV) initiatives in two villages during the second quarter of 2021. The Chhouk and Pu Chhorp in Koh Kong and Mondulkiri provinces were affected by drought, flash floods, and the high salinity from the high tide of the sea. Because of the CSV initiatives, farmers can increase agricultural productivity sustainably and reduce their exposure to shocks and risks while building their resilience and capacity to adapt to short- or long-term stresses.

As each community has a unique agro-ecological landscape, the engagements are centered on indigenous knowledge and community-driven approaches such as two food production subsystems: homesteads and traditional farming systems. Beneficiaries can reach self-sufficient nutrition and extra income by producing safe food for their own families and community. 101 families who are direct and indirect have benefitted from the project through native pig raising demonstrations and planting fruit trees.

The CSV programs in Cambodia are only a fraction of the sustainability work IIRR has done in the country during Spring 2021. Other program highlights include organizing 5 climate risk workshops with 217 participants in different agroecosystems. Additionally, IIRR has collaborated with CEDAC in coordination with the Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, to train and equip farmers in Cambodia. As a part of this Village Development project, a total of 1,116 farmers (65% are women) attended training on the system of rice intensification and 1,223 farmers (792 women, and 780 indigenous people) received capacity building and adopted diversified gardens. These metrics are only two of the program’s many significant success indicators.