Field Work in Banteay Meanchey
Field Work in Banteay Meanchey
On 15th March 2024, Dr. Chou Cheythirith, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Agriculture, and representative of the PCRL project led a meeting with Borey Aphiwath AC in Prolay Loung Leu village, Russey Kroak commune, Monkul Borey district, Banteay Meanchey province. The meeting was presided over by H.E Dr. Yang Saing Koma, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and Chairperson of the PCRL Project Steering Committee, participated by AC board members, and CAOs, and other 36 community members, of which 9 women.
The objective of the meeting was to introduce the PCRL project to the target commune and disseminate the project implementation strategies, and the selection criteria of the target ACs and implementing partners.
As a result of the meeting, the representative of the AC provided some inputs of the trajectory of the AC establishment, clarifying that the Borey Aphiwath AC was established in 2017, and started their initial business of micro-credit. Nowadays, the AC has 3,004 members with a capital value of 152,150,000 Riels. The current businesses include paddy rice trading, agricultural input supplies, seed production, and micro-credit.
Following the presentation, H.E Dr. Yang Saing Koma informed us about the national policy priority and how PCRL is linked to support such policy. Mr. Yin Dara, PCRL Senior National Technical Advisor provided additional information on the project profile and highlighted key activities involving the project’s implementing partners and other benefits for all target ACs and producer groups in CPAs. Furthermore, it is acknowledged that CAOs will have important roles in supporting field activities of the PCRL project, and the AC representative expressed his appreciation and willingness to support and collaborate with the PCRL.
Before ending the meeting, Dr Chou Cheythirith added that the Modern Agricultural Cooperative (MAC), which is one of the government's priority policies would be ideal for upgrading the AC business operation since it is working with more than 2,000 households within the commune. He encouraged that the AC should have a proper data recording which will be helpful for future development.
