The Cambodian government marked 30 years of partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) with an October 19 national workshop.
Attendees reviewed the results and lessons of their rural development, setting the groundwork for agreed follow-up actions and the next phase of investment in rural smallholders.
The 30th anniversary observation and Country Strategy and Programme Evaluation (CSPE) National Workshop evaluated the 2018–2025 country strategy and programme period.
The discussions will inform preparation of the next Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP), expected for 2028–2033, according to a statement from the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Huol Bonnaroth, director general of the ministry’s General Department of International Cooperation and Debt Management, described the workshop as an opportunity to assess achievements, challenges and lessons for future cooperation.
“As Cambodia prepares for a new stage of development, including our anticipated graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category in 2029, it is timely to assess how future IFAD investments can respond to our challenges, needs and priorities,” he said.
“We recognise that development financing must not only be mobilised but also translated into measurable and lasting benefits for our people,” he added.
IFAD regional director for Asia and the Pacific Reehana Raza, Independent Office of Evaluation director Indran A. Naidoo, and Cambodia country director Frew Behabtu collectively emphasised the importance of independent assessment, urging participants to use its insights on achievements, gaps and lessons to drive actionable commitments.
According to the release, over the past three decades, IFAD-supported operations have evolved from post-conflict rural recovery and basic livelihoods support towards agricultural services, producer organisation development, commercialisation, market access and climate resilience.
It noted that across 12 projects, the wider investment portfolio has mobilised approximately $1.05 billion in total financing, including about $389.1 million directly from IFAD. These are cumulative financing figures, not a measure of funds spent or independently verified programme impact.
Projects across this longer history include the Agriculture Services Programme for Innovation, Resilience and Extension (ASPIRE), Accelerating Inclusive Markets for Smallholders (AIMS), Agricultural Services Programme for an Inclusive Rural Economy and Agricultural Trade (ASPIRE-AT), Sustainable Assets for Agriculture Markets, Business and Trade (SAAMBAT) and the newer Climate Adaptive Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture for Resilience (CAISAR) initiative.
“Together, they illustrate the progression from extension and production support to links among farmers, roads, markets, resilient water management and enterprise opportunities. ASPIRE and ASPIRE-AT are distinct investments,” noted the release.