Breaking barriers: Women’s leadership strengthening climate-resilient rice communities in Pursat province

In Pursat Province, Um Simorn’s story demonstrates how empowering women through knowledge, opportunity, and support can help overcome these barriers and create positive change for entire communities.

At 47 years old, Ms. Um Simorn was elected as the head of the Leach Rik Chamroeun Agricultural Cooperative (AC) in 2024. Her election reflects growing recognition of women’s leadership potential in rural Cambodia and highlights the important role women can play in advancing climate resilience and community development. Her leadership journey was further strengthened through participation in the Promoting Climate-resilient Livelihoods in Rice-based Communities in the Tonle Sap Region (PCRL) project, which enhanced both her technical knowledge and confidence as a community leader.

Shifting gender roles at home

Like many rural women, Simorn faced the challenge of balancing household responsibilities with community engagement. Before joining the PCRL project, most of the household responsibilities were carried by Simorn, which limited her time to participate in community activities. Through her involvement in the project and increased participation in trainings and community activities, her confidence and visibility as a community leader grew. Over time, this contributed to a gradual shift in household dynamics, where her husband began to take on more responsibility at home.

“Now my husband helps with about half of the household work, and I also have an equal voice when it comes to family decisions and our livelihood. Because of this change, I’ve been able to spend more time on community leadership and increase my involvement in community activities by around 70 percent. Having support from my family has really helped me become a more active and effective leader,” Simorn said.

Building knowledge and opportunities for women farmers

Through the PCRL project, Ms. Simorn and members of the AC received certified rice seed support and participated in training on rice seed production, sustainable rice farming through Farmer Field Schools, and climate-resilient rice varieties. These opportunities strengthened farmers’ technical knowledge while also creating a more inclusive environment for women to engage in learning, leadership, and decision-making.

As a result, women within the community have become more involved in discussions on farming practices, community planning, and livelihood improvement activities. By increasing access to knowledge and practical skills, the project has helped create opportunities for women to contribute more confidently to both agricultural production and community development.

Support systems enabling women’s leadership

As a female leader, Ms. Simorn credits much of her success to the encouragement she has received from her husband, community members, and local authorities. Their support has strengthened her confidence and enabled her to carry out her responsibilities effectively.

“I believe women can really contribute a lot to agricultural development when they’re given the chance to learn, to lead, and to take part in decisions that affect their communities. That belief is what motivates me to support livelihood development for community members and help improve their living conditions”, said Simorn with a broad smile.

She is also working to mobilize resources for the construction of a rice seed storage facility that would benefit farmers and strengthen the sustainability of the community’s seed production activities.

Challenges facing the community

Despite the progress achieved, the community continues to face challenges related to irrigation infrastructure, market access, and limited capital for agricultural investment. These constraints affect productivity, profitability, and the ability of farmers to respond to climate-related risks.

In response, Ms. Simorn has worked with community members to seek support from commune authorities and promote community loan mechanisms as practical solutions to address these challenges. Her efforts demonstrate how women’s leadership can contribute to collective problem-solving and community resilience.

Strengthening women’s participation in community development

The Leach Rik Chamroeun AC currently has 263 members, including 217 women, highlighting the significant role women play in local agricultural production and development. As one of the community’s female leaders, Ms. Simorn serves as an example of how women can successfully lead and influence positive change when given the opportunity and support to do so.

“For me, empowering women isn’t just about having more women in leadership roles. It’s really about making sure women have a say in household decisions, access to knowledge and resources, and a supportive environment where they can actually take part in community development, Simorn stated, smiling hopefully.

Through this ongoing change, the community is moving toward a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for farming families in Pursat Province.

The PCRL project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) under the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) through the Food and Agriculture Organizations of the United Nations (FAO) and co-implemented by the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the General Directorate of Local Community (GDLC) of the Ministry of Environment (MOE).