Cambodia Country Programme Review 2017

JANUARY 26-28
2017Sihanoukville, Kingdom of Cambodia
Improving Projects’ Performance
Through Policy Dialogue
and Cross Learning
IFAD-CAMBODIA
ANNUAL COUNTRY
PORTFOLIO REVIEW

Improving Project Performance
in Cambodia, January 2017
Sihanoukville, Kingdom of Cambodia
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
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This report summarizes the Annual Country
Portfolio Review (ACPoR) for the Kingdom
of Cambodia for the year 2016. The
ACPoR is a platform for the IFAD assisted
programmes/projects in the country to
review projects’ status, share experiences,
good practices and identify major policy
and operational constraints (critical areas)
emerging from the implementation of the
Country Programme. Also, it is a platform
for agreeing on concrete actions to improve
performance of both individual programmes/
projects and the overall Country Programme.
The ACPoR consisted of 3-day workshop/
retreat held at the Golden Sea Hotel
& Casino in Sihanoukville, southern
Cambodia. It comprised a mix of multimedia
presentations, field visits, meetings,
exercises and exchanges with the
participation of the IFAD Assisted Projects
(loans and grants) and its leading and
implementing agencies and partners. The
location was chosen due to its adequate
convention facilities and its proximity to
the Prey Nub Polders where a field visit
was conducted to learn from a successful
exit strategy. The Prey Nup Polders Project
closed ten years ago and wice funded by
the Agence Française de Développement
(AFD).
The retreat was held thanks to the shared
efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), IFAD and
the facilitation of Procasur, along with the
Projects/Program members. The large
number and diversity of participants (almost
100) also included Farmers organization
members, cooperatives, indigenous groups
representatives, IFAD evaluation officers,
and other members of the Royal Cambodian
Government, all of whom contributed to the
relevance of the interactions and the quality
of the consultation process
The ACPoR had as its main objectives
1) Review of projects’ performance and
Country Programme, the attainment of
the COSOP strategic objectives and their
contributions to achieve the intended
results of the COSOP; 2) Locate and
propose solutions for bottlenecks in project
management and implementation, to be
materialized in concrete action plans to
improve portfolio performance; 3) Stock
taking of best practices shared throughout
the workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation
(M&E), Managing Information Systems
(MIS), Knowledge Management (KM) and
Knowledge Sharing (KS), both across
projects and along IFAD’s new M&E system.
Beingaresultorientedparticipativeworkshop,
it included spaces for self-evaluation,
personal commitments, testimonies and
feedback from participants. As such, project
leaders and members guided participants
throughout the activities comprising its 3
objectives.
Objective 1: Review of Country Programme
Performace, the attainment of the COSOP
strategic objectives and their contributions
to achieve such intended results. Project
Directors, provincial officers and district staff
joined with development partners, international
and local experts to review and discuss each
project’s performance over the past year. IFAD
in Cambodia was represented by the Country
Programme Officer, Mr. Meng, Sakphouseth
and by IFAD’s Country Programme Manager,
Mr. Benoit, Thierry, both of whom shared major
improvements and common challenges laying
H.E. Mom Amnot, Secretary of State, MAFF during his inaugura-
tion speech at he ACPoR 2017. Sihanoukville, 24th January 2017

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ahead the incipient year. The Government
delegation was headed by H.E. Mom Amnot,
Secretary of State, MAFF.
IFAD operations are guided by the Country
Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP).
The COSOP strategic objective has been shifted
to meet the challenges the country faces today
and it provides the framework in which projects
and programs are planned and implemented.
Projects conceived and implemented under the
previousCOSOP(2008-20012),likePADEEand
TSSD, both of which will end in 2017, focused in
agricultural development and poverty reduction.
On the other hand, the more recent ASPIRE
project and the AIMS programme were framed
within the actual COSOP (2012-2018) and thus
share a shifted focus towards market access
and linkages, value chains as well as climate
change resilience business sustainability.
Overall, projects have performed satisfactorily,
with PADEE above regional average and TSSD
improving year after year to a nearly satisfactory
level.
Objective 2: Mapping critical areas
that impede enhancement in project
management and implementation, aimed
at producing action plans (Plans4Change) to
improve portfolio performance. The organizers
prepared a series of exercises, field visits
and working groups for the participants to
share experiences and benefit from peer to
peer learning. This participatory approach
encouraged by Procasur’s facilitators proved
to be an engaging and effective way to
exchange, prevent and find potential solutions
to core problems. In this way members of
more recent projects like ASPIRE and the
AIMS programme became acquainted on how
to avoid bottlenecks related to critical areas of
financial access and literacy, capacity building,
market links and value chains based on the
experience of consolidated ongoing projects
like PADEE and TSSD, while the latter shared
common ways to device replication, scaling
up, exit strategies and improve monitoring and
evaluation tools and techniques.
Common issues hindering projects’
performance included: lack of planning before
proposing adoption technologies, reduced
membership of LIG and LGRF associations,
lack of adequate exit strategies for ongoing
projects, procurement compliance deficiencies,
monitoring and evaluation data collection,
lack of in-depth analysis, poor knowledge
management channels, insufficient extension
services, lack of involvement of the private
sector to integrate more vulnerable groups and
irrigation infrastructure, lack of a value chain
structure for some of the main crops and the
lack of coherence between AWPB and the
projects’overallimplementationprogress.Atthe
same time, projects’ strengths were identified
including targeting effectiveness, adequate
management of funds, poverty reduction focus
and efficacy, empowerment results, quality of
beneficiaries’ participation and climate and
environmental focus.
Throughout the ACPoR, project members
and partners compromised through
“Plans4Change” and a “Tree of Commitments”
in solving bottlenecks, delivering better
services and results to improve project
performance. Key improvements mentioned
included: developing a comprehensive
package of extension services including not
only new techniques and technologies but
access to funds and markets; inclusion of
the private sector both as intermediary and
as co-investor in added value chains and
infrastructure; scaling up of farmer groups
into associations to achieve sustainability
and resilience; increasing the number of
channels for dissemination of knowledge and
experiences, in particular of online tools and
platforms; improving data analysis, monitoring
and evaluation systems and systematizing
cross project support and learning.
Objective 3: Sharing best practices on
MonitoringandEvaluation(M&E), Managing
Information Systems ( MIS), Knowledge
Management (KM) and Knowledge Sharing
(KS), both across projects and along IFAD’s
new M&E system. 2017 is a year of special
importance, as the Country Program will
be evaluated by IFAD’s Independent Office
of Evaluation. Thus, the retreat included
presentations and consultations by two
Monitoring and Evaluation experts from IFAD.
Mrs. Fumiko Nakai briefed in Country Strategy
and Programme Evaluation for the upcoming
RULIP Project Evaluation in 2017. Also Mrs.

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Eloisa De Villalobos explained IFAD’s
improved evidence based M&E system,
which will be more focused in pre-existing
evidence as a base for project design,
implementation and assessment.
The main outcome of the workshop was
an authentic exchange or dialogue across
projects, involving all stakeholders. This
Policy Dialogue is emphasized in IFAD’s
strategy to ensure effective ownership
and collaboration, especially when dealing
with community-based solutions for rural
poverty and NRM. Furthermore, IFAD
and indigenous peoples urge efficient
policy dialogue for the development and
empowerment of farmer organizations,
formal recognition of communal tenure and
impact of foreign investment. In Cambodia,
as exemplified by all evaluated projects
and reinforced by the Prey Nup polders
project, working groups closely tied with
farmer organizations have a better survival
rate, especially when involving other NGO’s
and the private sector. This is in line with
the country’s new policies that align with
IFAD. The results of the dialogue can be
seen in the summarizing tables 2,3 and 4
of the report which together with the project
commitments lay out the road map for
significant changes to be implemented in
2017. The first Cambodia Country Portfolio
Review was a memorable milestone in the
partnership IFAD/Cambodia.

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INTRODUCTION
TO THE
KINGDOM OF
CAMBODIA

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The Kingdom of Cambodia is situated in the
Southeast Asia peninsula. It has a rich culture
that dates back 2,000 years to the Khmer
Empire, with its famous archeological sites,
including the great temple of Angkor Wat. The
country has a land area of 181,035 square
kilometers and population of 15.2 million
people (2014). Its climate is characterized by
two main seasons: the monsoon, which brings
rain from mid-May to October, and the dry
season from November to April.
Emerging from decades of war and internal
conflict that devastated the country in the
late 20th century, Cambodia began its
reconstruction and development in the late
1990´s following the Paris Peace Agreement
of 1991. The country has experienced
considerable achievements in economic
development; during the past two decades,
there has been significant reduction in the
poverty rate, which stood at 13.5 percent
in 2014 (IFAD) compared to 50 percent
in 1992. Factors contributing to this fast-
economic growth include: restoration of
peace and security; large public and private
capital inflows; economic openness; fairly-
stable macroeconomic conditions; a thriving
young population comprising more than 30%
overall and integration into the new ASEAN
community. The garment, construction
and services sectors have been the main
drivers of the economy, while agriculture
and tourism, having been important sectors,
have experienced lower growth since 2011.
Cambodia attained the lower-middle-income
status as of 2015, with gross national income
(GNI) per capita reaching US$1,070 (World
Bank).
Source: World Bank, 2015
Cambodia Agricultural GDP

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However, there are still many challenges for
Cambodia to address. Land mine clearing still
poses an obstacle against development as well
as the growing inequality – income disparity,
regional disparity between the urban population
and the rural poor, and gender disparity. Women
continue to face disadvantages in getting
secondary and higher education, decently
paid employment opportunities and decision-
making roles in the government’s institutions.
Gender-based discrimination and violence
remains a serious issue.
With the ASEAN community of nations in
place since late 2015, Cambodia has become
the setting of new possibilities and threats for
sustainable development and climate change
resilience. IFAD’s operations in Cambodia
support its Government to achieve sustainable
impacts improving poverty, natural resource
management, institutional performance and
accountability.
Photo: a Community Extension worker of
PADEE interviews a woman farmer using the
Tablet Monitoring and Evaluation Platform.
Cambodia, June 2016.

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Agriculture and Natural Resource
Management
Agriculture and natural resource management
are crucial to Cambodia’s national economy
and to the livelihoods of the Cambodian
people, particularly those in rural areas.
Natural resource based activities occupy
a significant proportion of the Cambodian
national economy, with agriculture
representing approximately one third of
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (MEF, 2010).
Therefore, Cambodia’s economic progress
is closely tied to sustainable development in
agriculture and related areas such as water
resource management, agriculture, fisheries
and aquaculture, forestry and health.
Cambodia is rich in natural resources,
especially freshwater reserves, forests and
both inland and coastal fisheries. Water
systems are subject to high seasonal
variability with extremes like flooding and
draught occurring frequently. Vulnerability
remains high, with more than 16 million
people affected between 1980 and 2010 (40%
affected by drought and 60% by flooding) and
over 500 US$ million in damages.
Other persistent problems include biological
contamination from sanitary, industrial
and mining systems. Also, water resource
management is also affected by neighboring
countries upstream the Mekong river. Securing
a stable and safe supply of water now and into
the future represents a significant development
challenge for Cambodia.
Rural Poverty in Cambodia
Thanks to efforts for sustained economic
growth poverty has consistently decreased.
While Cambodia has achieved the Millennium
Development Goal (MDG) of halving poverty
by 2009, most families who rose above the
poverty line were only able to do so by a small
margin. Still, around 8.1 million people are
near-poor, while 2 million (13,5% as of 2014)
remain poor.
Comparison of variations in poverty and near-
poverty proportions in Cambodia (WB)

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Poverty Distribution and Population Density in Cambodia
The country’s poor people (13,5% as of 2014)
are concentrated in rural areas and include
subsistence farmers, members of poor fishing
communities, landless people and rural youth,
as well as internally displaced persons and mine
victims. Tribal peoples living in remote villages
Ministry of Planning, Cambodia, 2010
near Thailand, Vietnam and Laos and women
are generally the most disadvantaged; while
poverty is less severe in the districts around
Tonle Sap Lake and those in the Mekong
River basin in the south (as shown in poverty
distribution map above). Government data
suggest 35% as the average rural poverty rate
as opposed to 1% in the capital city of Phnom
Pehn (Ministry of Planning-MoP). The country
has high malnutrition rates and deficiencies in
pregnant/lactating women; almost 40 percent of
children suffer from chronic malnutrition (WFP).

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BOX - Table 1: Macro-indicators of rural development in Cambodia (WB, UNDP)
Indicators 2006 2009 2012 2015
Human Development Index 0.491 0.536 0.546 0.555
Agriculture Value Added (%GDP) 31.7 35.7 35.6 28.2
GNI per capita 172 193 222 259
Total population 13.5 14.1 14.8 15.5
Rural Population % of Total 80.7 80.3 79.9 79.3
Poverty Rate based on Population 45.0 23.9 17.7 13.5
Main crops: rice, cassava, maize, rubber, palm oil, sugar
Photo: ASPIRE poster for the dissemination of good
practices on Rice Cultivation. Knowledge Share Fair
2017. Sihanoukville, 24th February 2017.
IFAD’s Environmental and Climate Change
Assessment further expands the reality
of rural poverty in Cambodia: “Estimates
suggest that almost 70% of the Cambodian
population is engaged in agriculture, and
that 52% of these workers are women (FAO-
MoP, 2010). The majority of these farmers are
smallholders, with 21% of households being
landless and a further 45% owning less than
one hectare. Agricultural productivity is low,
both in terms of production by labourer and
in terms of production by hectare. Rice is by
far the predominant crop, covering over 80%
of the total cultivated land and representing
approximately 68% of daily caloric intake.
Other crops produced for consumption include
maize, cassava, sweet potato and vegetables.
Important cash crops include groundnut,
soybean, sesame, sugarcane, tobacco,
jute and rubber, representing about 3.5%
of cultivated land (WFP, undated- Agrifood
Consulting International & CamConsult,
2006).” With women constituting 51.5 per cent
of the population, nearly 70 per cent of woman-
headed households are poor and vulnerable.
Sources: IFAD, World Bank, UNDP, ADB

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Nutrition facts: malnutrition in children 6-59
months old continues to be a major problem
in Cambodia. Underweight, stunting and child
waste are above 50% in some Provinces
(FAO)
Reducing rural poverty by improving rural
livelihoods is the objective of IFAD’s efforts to
empower Cambodia’s poor people raise their
incomes and standards of living. IFAD loans
account for over US$ 140 million and have
benefited more than 1,204,300 households.
Aligned with government strategies, IFAD
seeks more direct beneficiaries in these
vulnerable households and smallholders,
especially in those areas with good market
potentials for high value chains.
Since 1996, IFAD’s policies and objectives
have changed: from emphasizing a livelihood
approach to a clearer focus on expanding poor
farmers’ access to market opportunities; from
promoting decentralization of public services
to a broader concept of pro-poor rural service
delivery; from targeting government agencies
to targeting also civil society and the private
sector; from poverty alleviation towards a
more explicit focus on the resilience of poor
rural households. These shifts are supported
by the IFAD current Cambodia Country
Strategic Opportunities Program (COSOP
2013-2018), which is in line with and
supports the Government’s poverty reduction
initiatives.
1. RGC and IFAD Partnerships
IFAD works to support the rural poor in Cambodia
by effectively teaming up with partners whose
strengths complement its own comparative
advantages.TheCambodiaprogramhasbuiltlong
term partnerships with government, development
partners, NGO’s and grassroots organizations.
Its alliances take many forms which include:
• Policy Dialogue: IFAD works with key
decision makers within the government as
well as with development partners and civil
society actors to advance policy dialogue in
the agricultural sector.
• Harmonized implementation: By sharing
methodologies across programs, IFAD
extracts lessons and compares results
without the need of direct financing. This
modality allows IFAD to reduce costs and
improve efficiency.
• Co-financing: Projects in Cambodia include
financing from other development partners
like World Bank, United Nations Development
Fund, Asian Development Bank and the
Royal Government of Cambodia. Overall
IFAD funded about 45% of the total projects
costs.
• Innovation: IFAD projects work as a launch
padforinnovativeproductsandsolutions,thus
using resources efficiently and enhancing
project performance.
Sources: IFAD
BOX - Ongoing Operations
1. Tonle Sap Poverty Reduction and
Smallholder Development Project
2. Project for Agricultural Development
and Economic Empowerment
3. Agricultural Services Program for
Innovation, Resilience and Extension
Source: www.asia.ifad.org

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Projects 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
TSSD $200.000 $400.000 $4.000.000 $4.000.000 $3.000.000
PADEE $2.400.000 $2.700.000 $8.800.000 $8.800.000 $5.400.000
ASPIRE $2.500.000 $4.000.000
AIMS 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total $200.000 $2.400.000 $3.100.000 $12.800.000 $15.300.000 $12.400.000
BOX - Annual Disbursements of IFAD loans for Co-financed
Projects in Cambodia
Project
Directly
Benefitted
Households
Directly
Benefited
Individuals
TSSD 630.000 3.150.000
PADEE 90.000 450.000
ASPIRE 100.000 500.000
AIMS 0 0
TOTAL 820.000 4.100.000
BOX - Number of households and
individuals benefiting from IFAD / RGC
co-financed projects

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4. IFAD-funded projects in the Kingdom of
Cambodia
Currently, IFAD is co-funding four projects
in the central, south and north regions. The
projects target the poorest and the most
vulnerable ethnically diverse households as
well as smallholder farmers with good potential
to access markets.
Smallholder Development Project
(TSSD), 2010-2018. Aims to improve
livelihood of the poor rural households
in four provinces of the Tonle Sap
basin, Banteay Meanchey, Siemreap,
Kampong Thum and Kampong Cham,
by increasing productivity, improving rice
yields, providing access to markets and
financial services, diversifying activities
and off farm opportunities, improving rural
infrastructure and piloting rural information
communication technology.
and Economic Empowerment (PADEE)
2012-2018.Aims to improve the livelihoods
of poor rural people in target communes in
Kampot, Kandal, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng
and Takeo by diversifying the sources of
income of rural households and providing
access to financial services, technology
and markets.
3. Agricultural Services Program for
(ASPIRE) 2015-2021. Through profitable
and resilient farm businesses, the
program aims an improved model of
extension services for Cambodia so that
smallholder farmers can contribute to
broad-based economic growth by 2021
and programme budgeting for MAFF
reform.
4. Accelerating Inclusive Markets for
Smallholders (AIMS) 2017-2022.
Specifically intended to foster new
engines for overall agricultural growth
(value chains and market access) with
higher returns, especially returns on labor
and inclusiveness in growth.
To ensure that the focus on resilience explicitly
factors in climate change, IFAD’s Adaptation
for Smallholder Agriculture Program (ASAP)
has allocated a US$15 million grant for
risk management and resilience-building
activities. Additionally, to reach expectations
on the country portfolio and strengthen pro-
poor investment policies, accountability of
institutions and public services of higher
quality, IFAD promotes policy linkages,
partnerships and capacity building to service
providers. Future support will be directed at
areas where no major externally financed
development programs are ongoing. Potential
target areas also include the country’s more
remote border provinces.
Source: www.asia.ifad.org

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Farmers’ Organizations Leader at Prey Nub taking notes on the exchange with projects officials during
the field visit of the ACPoR. Field Visit ACPoR 2017, Prey Nub, Cambodia, 25th February, 2017

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CHAPTER 2.
Cambodia Annual
Country Portfolio
Review 2017

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1 . OBJECTIVES OF ACPoR
The Annual Country Portfolio Review
(ACPoR) had as its purpose 1) Review
of projects’ performance and Country
Programme, the attainment of the COSOP
strategic objectives and their contributions to
achieve the intended results of the COSOP; 2)
Locate and propose solutions for bottlenecks
in project management and implementation,
to be materialized in concrete action plans
to improve portfolio performance; 3) Stock
taking of best practices shared throughout
the workshop on Monitoring and Evaluation
(M&E), Managing Information Systems (
MIS), Knowledge Management (KM) and
Knowledge Sharing (KS), both across projects
and along IFAD’s new M&E system. Through
participatory discussions, exercises and field
trips, the ACPoR helped participants identify
solutions and propose recommendations to
be implemented and monitored throughout
2017.
2. PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW
The retreat firstly focused on reviewing the
Country Portfolio of the Kingdom of Cambodia,
based on the data gathered and shared by both
IFAD and the Royal Government of Cambodia
and its funded projects as described below.
Project directors, provincial officers and
district staff joined with IFAD and other NGO’s
experts, facilitators, indigenous groups and
farmer organizations to review the overall
portfolio performance, discover its strengths,
weaknesses and agree on ways forward.
During the opening day’s key note speech,
H.E. Mam Amnot, Secretary of State for the
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
commented on how the MAFF aims to
improve livelihood of the poor farmers through
its collaboration with IFAD and how projects
have progressed in capacity building, adoption
of technology and innovation, monitoring
and evaluation and overall implementation.
The accumulated experiences allow the
government to plan and intervene more
effectively, lifting more farmers and vulnerable
groups out of poverty. The current target
through ASPIRE and AIMS projects is to help
those already above the poverty line tackling
markets and developing climate and business
resilience.
IFAD in Cambodia was represented by Mr.
Benoit Thierry, IFAD Country Programme
Manager and Mr. Meng, Sakphouseth,
Country Programme Officer. They presented
the Cambodia Country Portfolio Review of the
past year, focusing on common achievements
and issues of all IFAD/Government-funded
projects. Mr. Meng’s presentation highlighted
key areas in programme management that
needed improvements on the country level,
including Exit Strategy, Compliance with
Procurement,PerformanceofM&E,Innovation
and Learning, Coherence between AWPB and
Implementation and Overall Implementation
Progress. Other areas, such as Targeting
Effectiveness, Counterpart funds, Poverty
Focus, Empowerment, Quality of Beneficiary
Participation, Climate and Environment Focus
were found within or above the APR regional
average.
IFAD emphasized the importance of having a
concrete long-lasting impact in the livelihood
of the poorer households and ensuring those
above the poverty line stay above it. It was
also stressed that the ACPoR was a unique
opportunity to share across projects, network
beyond roles of government, business and
NGO sectors, promote the analysis of data
and knowledge dissemination, all of which
aimed at achieving better performance. By
inviting international experts, the Kingdom’s
good practices in MIS, project and financial
management were shared across borders.
Also, the important and somehow neglected
aspect of M&E was to be reinforced the IFAD’s
new system as presented by HQ experts
Fumiko Nakai and Eloisa de Villalobos. To
comply with the targets set by IFAD, the
national strategy must continue its shift from
paper and administration towards evidence
tech-based farmer centered approach,
directed to increase farmers’ wealth and
resilience.

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To give a clear overview of the Cambodia
Country Portfolio, IFAD prepared a series
of analytical graphs with key performance
indicators rated by colors. Blue highlights
denoted management areas with satisfactory
or moderately satisfactory performance
in different projects, while red highlights
problematic areas and bottleneck issues.
These charts and tables provide a simple and
direct glance at the Country Portfolio strengths
and weaknesses of the evaluated projects.
(See all graphs in the Annex)
Project Supervision Report Ratings of Active Projects
2014 2014 2015
Region
Category TSSD PADEE TSSD PADEE TSSD PADEE
Quality of Project
Management
2.8 4.0 3.5 4.7 3.8 4.5 4.11
Quality of financial
Management
3.6 4.2 3.4 4.4 4.3 4.5 4.06
Targetting 3.0 4.0 3.5 4.5 4.3 4.3 4.30
Quality of Results 2.7 4.0 3.5 4.0 3.3 4.5 4.15
Impact and
Sustainability
2.3 4.0 2.6 4.0 3.0 4.6 4.12
Overall Average 2.9 4.0 3.3 4.3 3.7 4.5 4.14
Region 4.0 4.2 4.3
Averages per category extracted from Cambodia Performance Deshboard
BOX - Projects Supervision Report Ratings
• 4.0 is “satisfactory”
• TSSD is approaching overall satisfactory
ratings after a weak start
• PADEE has rated satisfactory overall
throughout
In order to measure efficiency of the projects,
two assumptions underlie the evaluation: 1)
Full impact occurs when a household has
participated in project activities for 3 years,
and 2) About 75% of participating households
will achieve the expected impact. Under
these assumptions overall results and impact
was satisfactory and similar or above regional
average.

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BOX - Projection of outreach and impact
Project Type 2018 20121
Outreach Impact Outreach Impact
PADEE/S-
RET
IGRF 49,200 36,900 49,200 36,900
TSSD LIG 27,314 20,486 27,314 20,486
ASPIRE Smallholders 9,000 6,750 100,000 75,000
AIMS Value Chain - 80,000 60,000
TOTAL 85,514 64,136 256,514 192,386
Variation between projected outreach and impact project in Cambodia is approx. 25%. IFAD,
2016
Total cost Impact beneficiary
PADEE/SRET 43 000 000 36 900
TSSD 55 000 000 20 486
ASPIRE 52 000 000 75 000
AIMS 45 000 000 60 000
Total 195 000 000 192 386
Cost per beneficiary 1 013.59
Cost per project beneficiary in Cambodia remains high. IFAD, 2016
RESOURCES:
Cambodia Annual Country Portfolio Review Orientation
Country Portfolio Review by Meng, Sakphouseth, IFAD CPO
IFAD Performance Dashboard
Project profiles and good practices
Project Infographs IFAD and Cambodia 1992-2015
Benoit Thierry and Meng Sakphouset, IFAD´s
Country Programme Manager and Officer,
respectively, during the analysis of the lessons
learned by the four projects at Prey Nub polders
field visit. Field Visit ACPoR 2017, Prey Nub,
Cambodia, 25th February, 2017.

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3. Highlights of the ACPoR 2017
Intotal93participantstookpartintheworkshop,
encompassing all corners of Cambodia and
beyond; government officials of different levels
(from provincial to center level), members of
different development partners, IFAD staff,
and members of indigenous groups and
farmers’ organizations took part in the event.
(See participants list in the Annexes)
The ACPoR was co-organized by MAFF
and IFAD and facilitated by Procasur; its
exercises were structured to build a common
action plan while providing answers to the
underlying question: how to improve project
performance? The highlights of the 3-day
gathering at Sihanoukville included building
a common action plan, hosting a Knowledge
Sharing Fair, participating in a field trip to the
Prey Nup Polders, holding presentations and
discussions on M&E and KM, and building
a Tree of Commitments. Each highlight will
be further explained and commented in the
following sections.
I. Building a Common Action Plan per
Project and Country Programme
The key outcome of the ACPoR were common
action plans per project and across projects as
part of the Country Programme. The idea was
embedded in all activities, thus participation
from different projects was encouraged to
stimulate cross reflection, lesson sharing,
relationship building and above all, common
project management tools.
As it can be seen in Chapter 3, common
project management tools include PADEE’s
MIS system, PADEE and TSSD use of tablets
in the field by CEW and IFAD’s new M&E
evidence based system.
II. Knowledge Sharing Fair
The Tonle Sap Poverty Reduction and Smallholder
Development Project sharing lessons learned in
the improvement of livestock rearing. TSSD started
operations in 2010 and is the oldest project in the
portfolio. Knowledge Share Fair ACPoR 2017,
Sihanoukville, 24th February 2017

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Knowledge fairs are known to be face to face
events in which participants set up displays to
share their undertakings. During the ACPoR,
project members rotated among stands
displaying knowledge products and presenting
best practices and lessons learned to others.
Knowledge exchanged included: 1) Books
and manuals on rural micro finance, Group
Revolving Funds and LIG’s formation
and operation, climate resilience farming
techniques and value chains; 2) Organic
agriculture, livestock production and cluster
business approach posters, x-stands and
numerous leaflets; 3) Case studies in
gender, income generation, crafts and raising
livestock; 4) Project newsletters; 5) Reports
on M&E and value chains; 5) Video-clips on
different agricultural practices and cash crop
value chains, livestock and crafts such as
mushroom, rice, chicken, pig and bamboo.
“The knowledge fair with its lessons learned
per project was definitively the highlight of this
event.” Samoeun Mourng, TSSD
Participants in the workshop appreciated the high quality knowledge products prepared by the projects.
Moreover, it was agreed to keep up to date the shared space at IFAD’s ASIA portal and make products
available at regional level. Knowledge Share Fair ACPoR 2017, Sihanoukville, 24th February 2017

24
During the fair, participants were to keep
in mind and gather information on the
questions: 1) Which is the significant change
required at this point to strengthen our project
performance? 2) What solutions and lessons
learned did I find in mine and other projects
that can bring us closer to that significant
change? Following the fair, participants
gathered per project to reflect and build a
“Plan for Change”. Each project identified
solutions to common challenges with a focus
on scaling up. Chapter 3 of the report further
explains and analyzes the outcomes of the
Plans for Change as critical areas requiring
action.
The ACPoR distinct itself as a knowledge sharing space between
project teams, line agencies, partners and stakeholders. ACPoR 2017,
Sihanoukville, Cambodia

25
III. Field trip to the Prey Nup Polders: the
case of a successful exit strategy
The second day included a visit to the Prey
Nup Polders. This project was firstly executed
in the 1930’s and nearly 100 years after
remains an exemplary project. Following the
war era, its reconstruction took place between
the late 1990’s and 2008 when it was handed
to the Polder Users Community association
(PUC). The project comprises more than
10000 hectares of recovered land, which
until today remain community managed and
diversified in terms of income activities. It was
chosen as the field trip’s location because of
its successful exit strategy by the PUC.
Location of the Prey Nup Polders
Participants were organized in 3 groups
with members of different projects and
development partners. Each group visited a
different site of the polder area, whose users
rely on agriculture and fisheries activities: the
Polders User’s CommunityAssociation (PUC),
the Andong Thmar Agricultural Development
and Market Linkage Community and the
Chompoo Kmao Fishery Community.
After the visits, all participants gathered for
sharing lessons learned and feed their own
reflections into their projects.

26
Group # 1: Prey Nub Polder Users’ Community
A gate prevents sea water from mixing with
irrigation water. The biggest challenge for
development is the sustainability of the
investments. The Prey Nub polder project handed
infrastructuremanagementovertothecommunity;
the farmer management and ownership process
is a fact that triggered interesting discussions
among teams. Field Visit ACPoR 2017, Prey Nub,
Cambodia, 25th February, 2017
In 2008, the project was handed to the users
grouped as the Polder Users’ Community
(PUC). The PUC has 15,000 members and
manages an annual budget of approximately
US$100,000 in membership fees. It effectively
manages water throughout the irrigation
scheme and maintains the separating dikes,
canals and sluices; it shares maintenance
responsibilities with the Cambodian State,
who keeps the primary dike.
Some remarkable results of its administration
coupled with agronomic action research
include the rehabilitation of over 3,000
hectares of rice fields and improving yields on
all plots from less than 12,000 tons per year
to between 25 to 30,000 tons per year. Micro
credit services are well settled, allowing a
record of 24,000 agricultural plots harvested
in the polders. Land titles have been given to
over 20000 lots, with only about 300 remaining
without title. The PUC receives approximately
15 domestic and international visits per year
due to its success.
BOX - Some fo the lessons learned
presented by the group
• Sound structure of PUC (comprising
community support, frequent
meetings, regular elections and
payed management)
• Support to and from local authorities
• Participatory planning and cost
estimations
• Monitoring through quarterly and
semester reports
• Lack of payment to the PUC calls for
more law enforcement
• Weak extension services for
innovation and diversification into
short term crops

27
Group # 2: Andong Thmar Agricultural Development and Market Linkage Community
The Andong Thmar Agricultural Development
and Market Linkage Community was formed
in 2006 with 80 members and 8 committee
directives responsible for management. Main
activities include growing rice and vegetables,
buying and selling rice, managing credit,
loans and vegetable trading. Market brokers
are farmers and members of the community
themselves. The group of participants visited
one of the farms and held interviews with
local farmers, resellers and with the leader of
a local agricultural cooperative of about 370
members.
“Before the polder rehabilitation I used travel
70 kilometers to go fishing but the strong winds
made it very difficult. Since I had some land,
I decided to grow vegetables here and now
others have joined. We are better organized
and our production has increased.” Mr. Kim
Hao. Local farmer
Lessons learned presented by the group:
• Commercial farming grew due to
acceptable infrastructure such as roads,
irrigation and access to local markets
• The community is organized and there is
trust among its members
• Agricultural Cooperative provides micro
credits, mainly for rice and short term
vegetables
• Lacks a community fund allowing farmers
to pay both capital and interests at the end
of the harvest period
• For local products to compete with those
of outer provinces, fertilizer and production
costs shall be reconsidered
• Limited access to technology, business
and marketing knowledge calls for better
quality extension services
• Support from local authorities is needed,
like certifications for organic products and
GAP
At Mr. Kim Hao’s farm, the multi- project team
showed skills in the interview of local traders
and farmers. They highlighted to the government
officials that building up farmers‘ capacities to
link with markets is key for sustainability. Field
Visit ACPoR 2017, Prey Nub, Cambodia, 25th
February, 2017

28
Group # 3: Chompoo Kmao Fishery Community
Chompoo Kmao Fishery Community
comprises a mangrove farm comprising
512 hectares for breeding fish, crabs and
other salt water species. The mangrove was
rehabilitated to protect the polders and dykes
from the sea and the typhoons. The Fishery
Community was setup to protect the mangrove
and sustain the natural and fishing resources
in it. There are 280 people registered as
members in the community; a committee of 11
directives is elected to oversee management,
financial, education, training, and patrolling
functions. The community’s main economic
activities include shell and crab conservation
and breeding as well as mangrove protection.
The Prey Nup project helped with the
organization of fisheries, thus relieving illegal
fishing and mangrove over utilization.
Lessons learned included:
• Strengths in official registration with proper
maps, management structure and a plan
to extract resources
• Well organized committee to manage,
monitor and patrol the mangrove
• Weak funding and lack of membership
payment hinders both operations and
human resources
• Committee survives mostly through
funding from NGO’s interested in this area
• Should prepare an investment plan for the
commune
• Should consider tackling eco-tourism
routes to diversify income
• Mainthreatsincludethegrowingpopulation
and overexploitation of resources.
The mangroves conservation is fundamental
in preventing salt water intrusion into the vast
agriculture land in Prey Nub. As with irrigation
infrastructure, community role in the maintenance
of the conditions is critical. Field Visit ACPoR 2017,
Prey Nub, Cambodia, 25th February, 2017

29
Other lessons pointed as key to project success involved considering both project history
and the “bigger picture” to link opportunities with already existing local farming efforts.
Also, to keep in mind land titling which in the polder area is above 90% with only about
300 hectares remaining without ownership title. Finally, the PUC should not limit itself to
polder maintenance but should include economic and business facets and build links with
private and financial sectors. All these aspects are of considerable relevance for the rest
of the country along with IFAD funded projects.
“We, the fishermen, pay a big toll for fishing here.
The conservation of the Mangrove forest, so
important for agriculture in here, is badly paid.”
Directive of the Khao Fisheries. Field Visit ACPoR
2017, Prey Nub, Cambodia, 25th February, 2017.

30
IV. Relevance of M&E, MIS, KS and KM for
a result oriented performance
The area of M&E was central to this ACPoR
due to IFAD’s upcoming Country Evaluation.
Fumiko Nakai from IFAD’s Independent
Office of Evaluation explained the objectives
and methodology of the Country Strategy
Program Evaluation (CSPE) process for
projects ended before 2016. Summarizing,
the evaluation process comprises assessing
the results of the projects; generating findings
and recommendations for the implementation
of ongoing projects as well as for the design of
future operations; and providing project-level
evidence to feed into CSPE. Additionally, the
evaluation process considers the project’s
impact over rural poverty, its effectiveness and
sustainability among other criteria like gender
balance, innovation, scaling up and climate
change resilience.
CSPE, Key Dimensions
Source: Mrs Fumiko Nakai’s Presentation

31
Eloisa de Villalobos, from the OPE of IFAD,
further commented on the new corporate
M&E system which is fed by pre-existing
evidence, such as statistics and emphasized
the importance of delivering corporate
results. The M&E system then becomes an
effective tool for project formulation. This
system intends to integrate with the one
already being successfully implemented
by the Cambodian government through its
PADEE project. (see both M&E presentation
in the Annexes)
“Successful projects are not only the ones
that follow precise procedures but the ones
that can better show concrete results.” Eloisa
de Villalobos, Results Specialist in OPE Unit-
PMD. IFAD.”
Benoit Thierry presented ‘’Online Project
Management” in which he summarized how
to integrate country project management
with IFAD’s platform via online tools for
better data analysis and essential knowledge
products. Narith Mao, Visal Kith and Peou
Tuy disserted on M&E and MIS project
experiences. In general all projects have
done considerable efforts to improve and
are doing well . Both PADEE and TSSD are
having interesting experiences using tablets
in the field as well as generating online data
bases. Their findings included:
• New MIS tools like mobile devices allow
to save time and eliminate paper based
forms
• Faster data collection on farmers’
information allows faster monitoring of
log frame progress, fund utilization and
performance
• Participatory monitoring provides
stakeholders free, real time access
to online data which results in higher
accountability
• Projects must strengthen its analytical
capacities by training human resources
and improving data collection
• Scaling up TSSD and PADEE’s system to
all other projects
The outcomes of these presentations are
further discussed in chapter 3 of the report.
The pyramid shows how a project should evolve
from basic agreements and contracts in the design
stage to final knowledge products upon closure.
The ACPoR brought closer IFAD with directives
and project teams they support in the country.
Eloisa de Villalobos and Fumiko Nakai are IFAD´s
specialists who support the portfolio in Cambodia.
They work hand to hand both in the solution of M&E
bottlenecks and in the evaluation of the last ten
years of partnership. Opening of the ACPOR 2017,
Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 24th Feburary, 2017.

32
V. CLOSURE OF THE ACPOR 2017
The workshop concluded with personal and
project commitments for the year 2017 as well
as Country Programme Action Plan. Each
participant cut a paper leaf and wrote his or
her personal pledge and discussed them as
a team; the commitments reflected on the
knowhow shared and the Plans4Change.
Additionally, everyone filled a feedback form
on the ACPoR achievements and objectives.
Finally, authorities from MAF and IFAD
handed out certificates. These exercises and
their outcomes are analyzed in Chapter 4 of
the report.
AIMS is a project about to start. It’s different other projects as it focuses in value chain for small farmers.
Implemented by the Ministry of Commerce, it made the ACPoR a warm welcoming into the family.
Plan4Change, ACPoR 2017, Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 26th February, 2017

33
CHAPTER 3. Integrating Findings
Into Plans For Change: Critical
Areas, Issues And Solutions For

34
Following the Country Performance Overview,
thischapterpresentsasynthesisofcriticalareas
with lessons learned and solutions expressed
by the projects in their “Plans4Change”.
The chapter is further complimented by
presentation slides, comments and quotes
from interviews conducted during the ACPoR.
Led by Procasur and the country’s Programme
Team, participants were organized by project
to reflect over the question of significant
changes required to strengthen this year’s
performance, integrate their findings with other
project issues and with solutions attempted
to make these changes happen. As it can be
seen in the tables 2,3 and 4, participants
produced plans for change or route maps to
be monitor throughout the year and evaluated
in the next ACPoR.
Most Plan4Change revolved around three
main critical areas: Quality of Results, Impact
and Sustainability and Project and Financial
Management. For example, related to
the projects’ quality of results, participants
identified lessons learned and solutions
were proposed for areas such as capacity
building in financial literacy and know-how,
innovation, better extension services, building
value chains and market linkages and climate
change resilience. When reflecting about
projects’ impact and sustainability, lessons
learned and solutions included areas such as
capacity for scaling up and replication, exit
strategies and food security. Finally, issues
associated with project management and
financial management included procurement,
availability of counterpart funds, audits,
monitoring and evaluation, knowledge
products communication, partnerships and
policy linkage.
The ACPoR blended the best of partners
and projects reflections to make the event a
truly inclusive, participative and collaborative
exercise, bringing all stakeholders to the
same route for improvement and change
during 2017.
BOX - How to bring about significant
changes to improve project
performance?
Step 1. The Knowledge Sharing
Fair as a building block to identify
significant changes (see Chapter 2)
STEP 2. Building a Plan4Change out
of project self-reflection, comparison
and dialogue across projects (see
Chapter 2)
STEP 3. Integrating findings: Main
common Issues and Solutions (See
Chapter 3)
STEP 4. Formulation of concrete
commitments (See Chapter 4)

35
A. QUALITY OF RESULTS
Have innovative techniques been adopted by
farmers?
Has adoption of techniques led to an improved
livelihood?
Have local institutions and capacities been
strengthened by the projects?
INNOVATION, CAPACITY BUILDING &
INSTITUTIONAL LEARNING
The average country programme score was
lower than the regional score, suggesting
significant room for improvement.
Strengthening local capacities, institutions
and extension services are key aspects for
improving the quality of results.
Institutional learning and building and
financial know-how. Despite efforts made
to strengthen financial literacy, lack of literacy
remains a difficult obstacle hindering access
to credit. Adoption of new technologies and
innovative techniques remains slow.
“Sometimes poorer farmers don’t know
how to read numbers, so we must choose a
group leader to deliver knowledge to other
members, at least 30% of group members are
women. Despite this, our LGRF has seen a
capital increase of about US$ 500.000, from 6
to 6.5 US$ Million in about 2 and half years.”
Mr. Thaung, Sambonn. Specialized Service
Provider, TSSD.
Both PADEE and TSSD suggested increased
efforts in providing farmers with easier access
to investment capital, like interest or collateral
free loans, which in turn stimulates technology
usage and productivity.
Innovation and capacity building.Theoretical
knowledgeimpartedatfarmingschoolsneedsto
be complimented by field work and supervision,
this ensures adoption of technology is complete
and effective. At the same time, Community
Extension Workers (CEW) are critical in
knowledge transfer and thus need to master it
themselves first; human resource training must
be ensured to expect better adoption results.
Community Learning Centers need to be
further developed and expanded. Both TSSD
and PADEE also pointed out the importance
of mapping local champions who can engage
others in peer to peer training through the
FPS, teach new techniques, financial literacy,
increase production and market access.

36
Approximately 4350 interventions involving
more than 2400 families have been conducted
by PADEE to stimulate agricultural innovation,
livestock raising and off farm diversification.
Benefitted average is over 100% with
approximately 20% showing actual profits.
Source: Narith Mao Presentation “Project
Monitoring and Evaluation System, PADEE”

37
“SamOuen Nget (in the picture) is a local
champion from Takao Province. After
visiting Thailand and Vietnam in Learning
Routes, back in Cambodia he applied all
his knowledge on chicken hatching and fish
farming in rice fields, attracting the interest of
his community and other NGO’s. He currently
makes up to US$ 500 on a monthly basis by
teaching/training a few days per month while
still being engaged in farming himself.” Sary
Seng, Procasur Focal Point, Cambodia. Local
Champions Exhibition, Takeo, Cambodia,
August, 2015
The ASPIRE Programme is improving
extension services by developing the capacity
of the service providers. It expects to reach
120.000 Households and its results will start
to be measured upon completion of its second
year of implementation.
We want to build farmers’ resilience and increase
their income. For example, in alliance with SNV,
we have located clusters that demand training of
farmers in rice techniques, vegetables, chicken
and pig farming”. Mr. Hok, Kimthourn. Secretarial
Manager for ASPIRE Programme, MAFF.

38
Community Learning Centers (CLC) are an innovation coming from Thailand; they are an outcome
of Procasur’s Learning Routes. CLCs are being tested for the first time in Cambodia by PADEE.
The success of the Farmer to Farmer Extension Model provides the base for its improvement
and adoption by other projects. Local Champions Exhibition, Takeo, Cambodia, August, 2015
MARKET LINKAGES, VALUE CHAINS &
MARKETING
This area was identified by all projects as
a priority to propel scaling up, replication
and sustainability which in turn will reflect in
improved livelihood and wealth for farmers.
Market linkages. The country’s economic
growth has changed agriculture from survival-
based to increasing yields, diversifying crops,
developing value chains and building market
links to farmers. As Farming organizations
and businesses start consolidating, they
need to learn and build links to introduce their
products in the market with profitability. This is
again an issue the recent ASPIRE programme
and the future AIMS project are expected to
provide better results.
“In this workshop, we have learned how
IFAD works in the country and how it
provides loans and we have learned from
ASPIRE and PADEE because these projects
have already contributed a lot in how to find
access to markets.” Mrs. An, Sarun. Chief
of Agricultural Cooperative and capacity
builder.

39
Value chains and marketing development
though private sector inclusion. Market-
wise approaches to packaging, labeling,
certifications and branding are required to
cater the more sophisticated and potentially
profitable niches of hotels and restaurants,
as well as new possibilities of exporting
into ASEAN members. It was agreed that
a dual relationship government-farmers is
insufficient; all projects must incorporate the
private sector more; companies specialized in
marketing and distribution represent a much-
needed link in the value chain of agricultural
products. As Bernard Conilh-de-Beyssac,
Value Chain and Agri-business Expert from
SNV points out “Public agencies are now more
open to innovation… for example middlemen
companies are now looked as collaborators
with the power to increase overall market
strength. We have also proved there is a
common agenda between the farming and
business sectors.”
Among its many Knowledge Products, PADEE has turned successful adoption and value chain building
stories into videos available on tablets and iinternet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkH8VA1fmTo

40
Based on PADEE and TSSD experiences, AIMS project will focus on market linkages and value
chains. Net farming income should increase by 30% in approx. 60,000 direct beneficiaries.
Source: AIMS presentation by Penn Sovicheat
BOX - Accelerating Inclusive Markets
for Smallholders (AIMS) project
features
• Increase returns of smallholders,
including young people, through
efficient public-sector investment
• Develop five high-value product
value-chains: quality assured rice,
cassava, vegetables, backyard
chicken and raw silk
• Stimulate private investment and
increase public financing along the
value chains
• Replication and scaling up
• Coordinate in synergy with other
Ministries and Development Partners
(MAFF, MoT, UNDP, Shift360,
UNIDO)
•
OBJETIVES AND IMPACT INDICATORS
Goal / Objetive Indicators Target
Goal:
Enhance prosperoty of
Cambodian smallholder
farmers through increasingly
profitable links to agri-
businesses and markets.
1. 80% of total of 75,000 direct
beneficiaries increased real
net farming income by > 30%
(Unit= No. of households)
75,000 households
(HH)
Development Objetive:
To increase returns from
farming for smallholders,
including pooorer farmers,
through efficient public sector
investment.
2. Number of beneficiaries
increase return on labour in
farming by 50%.
40,000 HH
3. Econocmic Internal Rate or
Return
20%
Trade Sector Wide Approach
www.moc.gov.kh/tradeswap/

41
Climate change focus & resilience.
The portfolio must put climate and
environmental focus at the center of its efforts
to fight poverty, since it affects mostly rural
areas where poor people predominantly
inhabit. Programmes and projects primarily
support four types of adaptation activity:
diversifying livelihoods to reduce risk;
improving agricultural techniques and
technologies; strengthening community-
based natural resource management; and
preparing for risk and coping with disaster.
Even though it is a relatively new indicator, it
was noted among projects that farmers are
more aware of climate change, their need to
adapt an become more resilient. As Mr. Hok,
Kimthourn, Secretarial Manager ASPIRE
Programme, noted: “I have seen how farmers
noticed on climate change and how they want
to work with technology that is resilient with
climate change; they now grow rice for shorter
periods of 3-5 months instead of 6-10 months;
also, they now grow cash crops which use less
water like pineapples, sweet potatoes, sweet
corn and beans, and livestock like chicken
and pig to cater the local markets. Scaling
up of climate change resilient techniques and
technologies is imperative.”
Sources: IFAD “Climate change: building the
resilience of poor rural communities”
Interviews
Workshop discussions
Table 2. Critical Areas related to Quality of Results
Critical areas
Projects/
Programme
Proposed solutions Responsible Collaboration
Capacity
building in
financial
literacy and
know how
PADEE
TSSD
• Strengthen financial learning of
LIG and GRF to help them become
sustainable
• Expand CLC and map Local
Champions
• Ease farmers’ access to funds
• Train CEW
• Strengthening of ASPIRE outreach
Project
Management
Unit
PADEE and TSSD
to define best model
for exit strategy and
future projects
Innovation
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
Compliment FFS with follow up in the
field
• Ensure full preparation of CEW’s
• Expand CLC to include Local
Champions practical knowledge
Project Team
and field
operators
Aims and Aspire to
Build on LL from
PADEE and TSSD
Better
extension
services
ASPIRE
• Develop new extension material
• Build an Extension Hub
• Provide and stimulate private
investment into irrigation
infrastructure
Project Team
and field
operators
ASPIRE based on
lessons learned
from PADEE and
TSSD and from
development
partners
Value Chains
and Market
linkages
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
AIMS
Link farmers with private marketing and
distribution companies
• Expanding value cluster model
• Develop attractive marketing,
branding and certification strategies
to cater new market niches
• Launch AIMS project
ASPIRE and AIMS:
work together on a
common market-
linkages model
Climate change
resilience
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
Adoption of climate change resilient
techniques and technologies
• Link more with the SRTE project
CEW’s,
Projects and
Private sector
investing in
irrigation
All projects together
with stakeholder

42
The experiences shared highlighted how
building climate resilience is a path that
Farmers and Governments need to walk hand
by hand.Field Visit ACPoR 2017, Prey Nub,
Cambodia, 25th February, 2017.
B. IMPACT AND SUSTAINIBILITY
POTENTIAL FOR SCALING UP,
REPLICATION AND EXIT STRATEGY
A project’s capacity to become sustainable
after its completion is considered crucial. This
is a complex issue that synergizes with both
implementation and ever changing external
new factors like climate change, product
demand, global markets behavior, etc. The
portfolio makes consistent efforts to adapt its
policiesandfundingtoprojectsthatlegitimately
strengthen rural people’s resilience to cope
with ongoing global challenges.

43
Through its component 1, TSSD has created
thousands of Livelihood Improvement Groups
(LIG). Its members have become literate
in micro finances and managed to obtain
financing using group revolving funds and
loans.
Source: SlideShare Presentation “TSSD Mid
Term Review Workshop”
Potential for scaling up and replication.
Projects have rated above the APR average
with TSSD overcoming its initial challenges to
the point where specific project approaches
are being considered for replication. PADEE
is showing a solid replication potential for
the IGRF model provided sustainability and
inclusion issues can be resolved, and for the
iDE Farm Business Advisor-PPP model for
market-oriented farmer service delivery. Key
bottleneck issues across projects for scaling
up included: low membership of farmer
associations affect financial sustainability;
effective adoption of technology for production
and resource management remains low and
hinders productivity; lack of diversification
impedes climate resilience and other sources
of income; limited access to both financial
resources and markets delays growth and
wealth generation. It was agreed that
membership in farming groups like LIG’s and
IGRF’s needs to be larger to enable: legal
registration, collecting a sustenance fee,
managing enough money to make loans and
collect interests and deal as an entity of its own
with financing institutions and other NGO’s. It
was pointed out that NGO law forbids NGO’s
or civil associations to offer financial services
(managing funds), thus many groups had
to incorporate as profit oriented companies
entailing further expenses and higher taxation.
This issue may be included into the policy
dialogue agenda.

44
Access to financial resources and markets
is another critical area closely related to
financial and business literacy and the
adoption of new technology. PADEE shared
how adoption improved when centering
both business plans and farmers’ interests
on access to markets. TSSD commented
on the relevancy of planning per market
access and acknowledged the need to
improve linkages between farmer producers
and collectors. ASPIRE’s concern revolved
around involving communes to share some
of the investment burden, as the project
lacks credit services upon completion. AIMS
agreed on developing a Project implementing
manual and unit (PIM and PIU) which will
plan appropriate exit strategies. All projects
agreed on incorporating the private, NGO’s
sector and the local government’s (CC) to
catapult sustainability.
“Business plans are very useful for farmers,
now they can save money and understand
how much they have earned in a year. Before
they couldn’t!” Mr. Nhep Srorn, Provincial
Project Coordinator Advisor (PDA), Takao
Province
Exit strategy. The exit strategy is referred to
the actual plan for the long-term sustainability
of the project. The complex issue of post
project sustainability requires urgent attention
from IFAD and project management. The
lack of clear guidelines on exit strategies,
offered an opportunity for the ACPoR to think
together and share on this issue. The Prey
Nup Polders field visit was also planned
to reflect on this aspect, as the project
outcomes have survived for 10 years without
the original donor’s support.
Lessons learned included:
• Diversification
• Applied research
• Land titling
• Community management
• Inclusion of both the private sector and
NGO’s
Additional aspects agreed upon comprised:
working on a comprehensive project
formulation including both growth production
and market access. The design of the AIMS
project specifically oriented to build value
chains and market-entry is a good sign in
this direction. Review missions and frequent
cross project meetings were also mentioned
as important actions to review and exchange
on exit strategy execution. In this sense,
Provinces serviced by PADEE will remain
under ASPIRE at the former’s completion,
but with the objective of improving extension
services.As such, PADEE is already preparing
its way out in the favor of the newer ASPIRE
programme.
Food security. The country’s child
malnutrition reaches almost 40% in children
under 5 years (chronically malnourished/
stunted), Nevertheless, thanks to the PADEE
project, the severe malnutrition baseline was
monitored to have diminished to 31,9%. In
this sense, MAFF and partners must lead the
way towards nutrition sensitive agriculture to
improve project results even more. Likewise,
augmenting protein consumption can be
stimulated by diversifying into livestock. A
more diverse diet and health practices,
like deworming and water sanitation, can
directly impact the levels of anemia and other
persistent conditions present in rural women
and children.
Sources: www.fao.org
Presentation, IFAD, Overview of Cambodia
Portfolio and Partnership

45
The ACPoR open floor for discussion allowed
provincial and central teams to review current
and future areas of attention. Plan4Change
ACPoR 2017, Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 26th
February, 2017.
Table 3. Critical areas related to Impact and Sustainability
Critical
Areas
Project/
Programme
Proposed Solutions Responsible
Collaboration
across projects
Scaling
up and
Replication
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
AIMS
• Increase the membership of LIG and
GRF
• Incorporation of LIG’s and GRF’s into
associations or similar
• Review of NGO law with respect to
financial services provision
• Increase access to local financial services
at village level
• Focus adoption strategies on farmer
interests and market access
• Plan considering market challenges and
opportunities
• Create more market links for producers
• Involve communes and other local
authorities in financing infrastructure
development
• AIMS project to strengthen market links
and value chains cultured by TSSD and
PADEE clusters
Project
Managers,
project team,
development
partners and
field operators
• FMM/CFAP:
support PADEE
and TSSD for
farmer apex
organisation
• TSSD – PADEE:
working
together on LIG
association
Exit
Strategy
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
AIMS
• Establish clearer guidelines for exit
strategies during project planning stage
• Establish LIG Association or other type of
Farmer Organization
• Sustain review missions and cross project
periodical meetings
Apply Prey Nub lesson learned, including:
• Applied research for crop diversification
and increased yields
• Successful model of community
managing
• Inclusion of private sector and NGO’s
• Land titling
Project
Management
Unit,
development
partners,
and
beneficiaries
• ASPIRE will
include some
provinces
catered by
PADEE
• FMM/CFAP:
support PADEE
and TSSD for
farmer apex
organisation
• TSSD – PADEE:
working
together on LIG
association
Food
Security
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
AIMS
• Diversify diet to include more proteins
and fat through livestock
• Improve income of rural poor
• Improve sanitation and water sources
Project
Team, field
operators,
beneficiaries
Implement LL by
PADEE

46
C. FINANCIAL AND PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
How to improve viability of annual budget
plans?
How to ensure quality audits and availability
of counterpart funding?
How to make procurement timely and
accurate?

47
During the ACPoR, it became clear that
financial management had some pressing
issues. Overall, the quality of finance
management showed improvements,
mainly due to the good performance of the
PADEE project for the last two years. The
responsiveness of service providers, overall
implementation progress, the likelihood of
achieving development objectives, acceptable
disbursement rates and the quality of financial
management rated above regional average in
2016. Procurement, availability of counterpart
funding, quality audits and compliance with the
budget plans were identified as key bottleneck
issues in need of quick improvements.
Coherence between AWPB and
implementation. Most projects struggle to
deliver physical and/ or financial targets as
set by AWPB. The overall implementation
of AWPB was slightly above APR average.
Improvements in the TSSD project show a
good trend to follow given that it disbursed
52% of the budget, with two years remaining
before completion. In contrast, PADEE has
already spent 66% of the loan. Delayed
disbursements in the initial years are often due
to lack of activities in the initial stages of the
project. Additionally, It was noted that overall,
delays were not related to Government delays
in releasing the funds but rather to fewer
requirements of counterpart funds than those
originally planned in the AWPB. To manage
fluctuations more adequately, evidence based
planning, implementation and monitoring are
essential aspects leading to evidence based
activities with secure cash flow.
Compliance with IFAD procurement
guidelines was one of the most serious issues
of the annual portfolio, with most projects
receiving at best a moderately satisfactory
rating and country score much lower that the
APR regional average. Areas for improvement
relate to the reduction in the delays for
preparing and approving the procurement
plan as well as updating it regularly. Non-
compliance with IFAD procurement guidelines
may have very serious consequences such
as the need to start over procurement/bidding
processes or the non-reimbursement of
ineligible expenditures. It was recommended
that PADEE supports AIMS on finance,
procurement and reporting as required by
IFAD.
Project Management. Development projects
usually follow a similar framework: Design (1
year) – Implementation (5-6 years) – Closing (6
months). In this process, projects may spend
too much time on design and startup. Some
lessons learned included: Implementation
starts with the logical framework (LogFrame),
followed by planning, contracting and M&E
systems; realistic documents need to be
delivered on time; M&E tools should be used
for efficient management and findings should
be disseminated; regular communication is
essential.
In relation to the closing phase of the project,
it is important to consider the annual report not
only as an administrative document, but an
opportunity to show what each project does
and what adjustments are needed. The next
step is policy enhancement and developing
modalities of Public Private Partnership
Programmes (PPPP). During supervision,
when instructions are coming from higher
level, simple and clear recommendations are
preferred to avoid complications at field level.
Thus, the most important tools for Project
Management remain: a) project design
report b) Log Frame c) annual work plan d)
procurement plan and e) M&E system.
Effective Policy dialogue as presented by IFAD

48
BOX - Key experiences and good
practices in finance management
shared by PADEE
• Endorsed AWPB and Procurement
Plan
• Fund flow (Designated Accounts,
Project Accounts, National/
Provincial and PPP Account
• Consultancies based on threshold/IA
• Procurement plan updates
• Planning (AWPB meeting, IA
contracting, reflection stakeholder
workshops, monthly district and
provincial meetings, reports, reviews
and work plans)
• Quarterly Request (WA), E-WA
• Frequency spot check and
recommendations by project
leadership/procurement staff
• Joint technical/policy guidance
meeting
Sources:
Presentations
IFAD Overview of Cambodia Portfolio and
Partnership Presentation
D. MONITORING & EVALUATION
How to improve documentation and
management follow up in M&E?
How to attribute impacts directly to project
activities?
How to promote knowledge across projects
and standardize M&E systems?
Weak M&E data analysis. Although part of
project management M&E was chosen as a
critical area to improve aspects of data analysis
and due to the upcoming Country Evaluation
of 2017. In general, Cambodian projects are
good with systems but the weakness remains
in data analysis and reporting. To address
these shortcomings, IFAD invited experts
Fumiko Nakai and Eloisa Villalobos to explain
IFAD’s criteria for post project evaluations
and its latest M&E evidence based system
indicators and its focus in how to measure
attributable results.
“I have been impressed by the level and
quality of the monitoring systems already
in place. I’m pleased with their interest in
improving and including relevant indicators
both for project and corporate reports, such
as the number of people adopting improved
agricultural practices as a main indicator of
project success… also we will make our best
to build on the already existing systems and try
to integrate them.” Mrs. Eloisa de Villalobos,
Results Specialist in OPE Unit-PMD, IFAD.
Mr. Nartih Mao, PADEE’s M&E officer, noted
their monitoring system is a participatory one
featuring free access to data through the
Dropbox application (see www.padee.org)
and an MIS linked to a financial management
system which tracks farmers’ withdrawals and
loan payments. Data is collected in real time
by CEWs in the field using tablets, allowing
monitoring and increasing accountability.
The system has been also used by TSSD
Programme and will be replicated by ASPIRE.
Despite these efforts and improvements,
M&E weakness revolves on the log frame
formulation,datainputandin-depthofanalysis.
Although the information in the field is very rich,
it is poorly documented through KM systems
which need to be further developed. PMUs are

49
encouraged to disseminate results nationally
and globally. It was unanimously stressed that
a standardized M&E/MIS system is required,
and that the data should be used for both
project management and planning along the
lines of IFADs CLEAR (Centers for Learning
on Evaluation and Results) programme.
CLEAR entails trained certification on M&E in
any IFAD training center, thus moving towards
uniformity between projects. It was agreed that
for proper M&E at field level, capacity building
of local staff is required together with regular
meetings and communication between central
and provincial/ district teams. Also, the quality
of internet speed and connectivity must be
improved, especially for uploading large files
in more remote areas.
“If you’re a Programme Official you know how
to manage activities and implement, how to
report and monitor and how to show results
outside. Every step of the process is linked to
the others: planning, implementing, M&E. In
this sense all officials are responsible for each
and all steps of the process” Benoit Thierry,
IFAD CMO.
Source: Programme MIS presentation by Visal Kith
Sources:
- IFAD Presentations on M&E by Nakai, de Villalobos and Thierry
-- Presentation by Visual Kith “IT for financial services to farmers -PADEE Project in Cambodia”

50
BOX - ASPIRE PROGRAMME key
experiences and good practices on
M&E and MIS
• Mobile devices for data collection to
eliminate paper based forms
• Real time data is collected and shared
on farmer information, ID poor,
wealth ranking, training evaluation,
technology adoption, intervention
plans
• Chart reports are generated using
Google Maps or Google Earth; charts
are updated automatically
• Analysis and comparison tool for
technicians, Project Managers,
Government officials and IFAD:
they can monitor and review project
Log frame progress, fund utilization,
analyze and compare results, overall
project status and evaluate project
performance
• Built with flexibility, more modules or
functionalities can be added such as
links with COSOP M&E, procurement
plans, contract management and
more
• Built with web-service APIs allowing
easy data sharing via HTTP protocol
and integration with third party
system like Ministry portals, Country
or Regional portals or IFAD Strategic
Framework System
A Community Extension Worker (CEW) uses the
tablet in the collection of the household information.
Tablets are used for data collection, sharing and
monitoring in both PADEE and ASPIRE projects.
PADEE photo data base, 2016
Knowledge management & communication.
KM is a key component for improving project
performance and it is closely related to the
communication and dissemination strategy of
a project. Knowing where to locate any given
knowledge product allow stakeholders access
to knowledge while improving productivity. For
faster and more efficient communication once
projects are closed, IFAD recommended to
increase the use of social media like Facebook
and to assure access to materials by posting
on www.asia.ifad.org as a depository website.
Also, developing and disseminating materials
(videos, leaflets, manuals, books, webpage,
Facebook), best practices and lessons learned
throughout the portfolio needs to be improved;
for example, by building picture banks with
good resolution and connecting more with
journalists for press releases. PADEE hosts
a very comprehensive and accessible website
www.padee.org and has shown results in
contributing to overall technology access on
rice farming through an ICT Agriculture Expert
System technology known as ePADEE. TSSD
shared how LIG groups inform project officials
of their problems by posting them on Facebook;
the project also hosts the website www.http://
tssdcambodia.org/ It was suggested that

51
every project must produce between 10-15
case studies per year and display them at their
respective websites. The ASPIRE Programme
should start its own website to show and
disseminate its knowledge products as soon as
possible. Finally, the ACPoR was praised for its
inherent contributions to KM and KS.
“Personally, it’s an exciting workshop, in the Fair
there were many projects like PADEE, ASPIRE
and TSSD who shared a lot of information that’s
relevant for us at the AIMS project.” Mrs. Mao,
Kannha. Ministry of Commerce staff, AIMS
Project. Plan4Change ACPoR 2017, Sihanoukville,
Cambodia, 26th February, 2017
“One of the most important outcomes of this
ACPoR is on one hand, the awareness gained
on the issues hindering project performance,
and on the other hand, the bridges built
between and within teams to overcome them.”
Ariel Halpern, Procasur Regional Coordinator.
PADEE’S KM PYRAMID
Source: www.padee.org
New technologies. New gadgets, software
and tools require little training and help obtain
much-needed results quicker. As an example,
tablets are being used for spreading farming
techniques, pest control, organic fertilizing
and livestock health management, while IVR’s
help connect farmers with technicians. The
MIS 2.0 system was first implemented by
IFAD, was then implemented by PADEE and
now ASPIRE. It consists in a dynamic online/
offline M&E tool to improve data quality and
flow from the field, in a standardized way. It
is used at both project level for managing and
at village level, by assigning an ID number to
each family. In this way, M&E springs from
analysis of real-time online data at field level.
In turn, results must show greater impact on
farmers’ livelihood.
“In ASPIRE we use different means to contact
and be contacted by farmers, our outreach
alternatives include itinerant TV’s where
we display videos and documentaries and
Interactive Voice Responders (IVR) that
connect farmers with a regional technician
through a phone call.” Chim, Linna. Knowledge
Management and Communication Specialist,
ASPIRE.
References
ASPIRE MIS presentation
PADEE MIS presentation
Annotations
Interviews

52
Digital workflow of M&E. IFAD recommends
the following online workflow for the M&E
process. The applicant fills and sends the
form automatically as an attachment to the
request. Forms, photos, videos and maps
can be stored and shared on a cloud system
like Google drive or Dropbox, which provides
backup. Collected information can and should
be shared on social media, like Facebook
community pages (South East Asia Rural Hub,
www.asia.ifad.org) and publishing websites,
e.g. SlideShare, Yumpu. The use of online
platforms is highly recommended to keep up
large data flow and to promote collaboration
among projects. E-libraries are promoted by
IFAD to store digital content such as report
documents, videos and pictures. This model
has worked efficiently in Africa for many years
(www.fidafrique.net, www.capfida.mg)
BOX - Advantages of the online M&E
MIS system
Storing large amounts of information
Building real-time reporting and data
analysis
Building strong APIs based on automatic
sharing with online communities
Expanding audience through social
media
Sharing and managing documents, files
and learning materials through E-library
modules

53
E. PARTNERSHIPS AND POLICY
DIALOGUES
The ACPoR was an opportunity to bring
together all IFAD projects (loans and
grants) for knowledge sharing and cross
fertilization. It also fosters exchanges with
other development partners. Discussions
lead to scaling up of good practices which
further translates into policy dialogue and
policy review.
Partnerships allow projects to deal with
complex and rapidly changing issues
surrounding rural development; they
are also critical for projects to achieve
greater outreach and expanded impact
in terms of rural poverty reduction, with
limited resources. Coupled with good
information management, IFAD strongly
encourages partnerships among projects,
international organizations, government
agencies and the private sector. Weak
interaction between stake-holders results
in poor awareness of issues happening
in the field. By allowing each partner
to concentrate in what it does best,
alliances with international development
practitioners like ADB, FAO, WB, IRRI,
CIAT, APRACA, UNDP, USAID, iDE,
AVSF, GIZ, WFP, IFPRI, CIPA, MTCP,
Procasur, SNV, UNOPS are supporting
outreach and programme performance.
Policy Dialogue involving all stakeholders
is emphasized in IFAD’s strategy. In this
way, it is ensured effective ownership and
collaboration, especially when dealing
with community-based solutions for rural
poverty and NRM. Furthermore, IFAD
and indigenous peoples urge efficient
policy dialogue for the development and
empowerment of farmer organizations,
formal recognition of communal tenure
and impact of foreign investment.
In Cambodia, as exemplified by all
evaluated projects and reinforced by the
Prey Nup polders project, working groups
closely tied with farmer organizations have
a better survival rate, especially when
involving other NGO’s and the private
sector. This is in line with the country’s
new policies that align with IFAD. As His
Excellency, Mam Amnot, Secretary of
State, MAFF, commented “The reforms
from one project to the other reveal we are
getting better in understanding the needs
and challenges of the people and thus
we are able to respond more accurately.
ASPIRE is an example of this.”
Agricultural policy development is overall
good in Cambodia, with organized
government agencies and policy think
tanks. It was recommended to strengthen
efforts on dissemination of results and
knowledge products including summaries,
PowerPoint presentations, case studies,
successful adoption of technology,
partnerships and so on. Periodic reviews
on project partnership, policy and project
monitoring all contribute to the desired
impacts of poverty alleviation and
resilience.
References:
IFAD Partnership Strategy
MAFF Presentation

54
High level officials of the MAFF; MEF, MOC, MOWA
joined the workshop and took part in the Tree of
Commitments exercise. Opening ACPoR 2017,
Sihanoukville, Cambodia, 24th February, 2017
Table 4. Critical areas related to Project Management, M&E and Policy Dialogue
Critical Areas
Project/
Programme
Proposed Solutions Responsible
Collaboration
across projects
Procurement
& Audits
TSSD
Replicate PADEE’s procurement
and compliance experience
PMU and project
team
PADEE: support
AIMS to learn
on Finance,
Procurement, and
reporting required by
IFAD
Monitoring
and
Evaluation
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
• Human resource training
• Implementing CLEAR program
for certification
• Standardize M&E and MIS
systems across projects
• Hold regular multi-level
meetings
• Improve quality of internet
service
Project Managers,
project team and
beneficiaries
ASPIRE and
AIMS to continue
implementation of
LLfrom PADEE and
TSSD
Access and
dissemination
of knowledge
products
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
• Load knowledge products at
www.asia.ifad.org as a post
project depository website
• Utilize more social media to
engage more people and
obtain faster feedback
• Publish 10-15 knowledge
products (case studies) per
year
• ASPIRE should launch website
as soon as possible
• Repeat ACPoR and Knowledge
Sharing Fair for peer to peer
live exchanges across projects
PMU and project
team, development
partners
MEF – ICO:
organized regular
inter-project
meetings and annual
review workshop
-Implement COSOP
Country Work Plan
Policy
dialogue and
partnerships
PADEE
TSSD
ASPIRE
AIMS
• Hold regular inter project
meetings
• Continue supervision missions
• Hold ACPoR in 2018
Project managers
and development
partners
MEF – ICO:
organized regular
inter-project
meetings and annual
review workshop

55
CHAPTER 4.
Conclusions

56
The ACPoR was a result-oriented participative
workshop gathering almost 100 people. As
such, it included spaces for self-evaluation,
personal commitments, testimonies and
feedback from participants. By engaging
projects, partners and international
organizations through teamwork and
synergy, issues at hand were addressed and
agreements on appropriate solutions were
reached.
1. Tree of Commitments
This is an exercise for knowledge sharing and
naming facilitated by Procasur. Commitments
are collected on paper leaves which are then
glued to the branches. Each branch of the tree
represents a project and its correspondent
“Plan4Change” to be implemented in 2017
according to self-prioritized areas of work.
“It’s essential that project management
follows up on the tree of commitments to
refine activities, include them in the workplan
and closely monitor the committed activities’.
Leanghy Liv, Team Leader Of Project
Implementation, TSSD.
The commitments expressed on the tree
represented the fruits of 3 days of hard work
as well as the seeds for future change. It
also was a humane and inspiring way of
culminating the team building work through
a touching, agriculture-related metaphor.
The exercise helped expressing new ideas,
exchange of experiences and lessons
learned on a personal level through simple
but powerful messages, coming from people
across all levels of program management.
“The tree of commitments is a tool for change
that contains all workshop messages which
enrich our knowledge” Pan Sonheap, ED
Officer, FNN
Fruits from the Tree of Commitments.
Clustering the Fruits of the tree per project
according to critical areas, it is clear they form
the base for the Plans4change and thus match
those discussed throughout the report.

57
The Tree had four branches, one per project.
At the TSSD project branch, commitments
focused in similar areas like Exit Strategy and
Market Links while committing in other ones
like Policy Dialogue and Capacity Building.
TSSD branch and Commitments:
1. Prepare guidelines for the establishment
of an LIG Association;
2. Prepare documentation of LIG’s to obtain
recognition by the Ministry of Interior;
3. Elect LIG Association representatives;
4. Improve market linkages for farmers,
producers and collectors;
5. Prepare meetings at commune level to
discuss financing, investing and payment
defaults;
6. Promote roles and responsibilities for
local authorities in funding/investing
involvement at commune, district and
provincial levels;
7. Strengthen resources, training and
workshops, market information and
contract design capacities.
TSSD sharing its commitments.

58
Within the branch of the PADEE project,
commitments revolved around the issues of
Exit Strategy, Scaling Up, Replication, MIS
and Technology:
1. To establish a post-PADEE Association
2. Plan the end phase of the project and
share it with stakeholders for actions
3. Strengthening market linkages with
Agribusiness
4. Link to PPPP model for developing in a
sustainable way
5. Push development of CLC’s
6. Arrange GAP certification across value
chain clusters
7. Strengthening data entry into the M&E
system
8. Improve understanding of S-RET
Programme
The commitments in the ASPIRE project
branch embraced Capacity Building, KM and
M&E, Policy Dialogue, Market Linkages and
Finances:
1. Improve staff performance for better
extension services
2. Stimulate farmers’ commitment for
sustainability
3. Assist farmers in becoming local
champions to train communities and
indigenous peoples
4. Improvemodelandflowofcommunications
and increase communication channels
5. Review ASPIRE structure in PDAFF, roles
of different stakeholders must be clear
6. Review Log Frame and set priorities
7. Set financial policy for the provincial level
8. Link farmers to market and microcredit
9. Plan budget and do market research for
agricultural cooperatives (AC)
10. Open shops for farmers’ products within
the communities
11. Help farmer organizations (FO) become
professional service suppliers
12. Provide opportunities for PPPP
13. Improve MIS and in-depth analysis of
results
ASPIRE’s teamwork on commitments
The branch of the AIMS project emphasized
commitments on Building Market Links,
Finances, KM and Capacity Building:
1. Set mechanisms to link producers,
indigenous peoples, private sector and
government
2. Create linkages with tourism sector
3. Set up PPPP with rural community
products
4. Guarantee finances for investment of
farmers and private sector into value
chains
5. Formulate a comprehensive marketing
strategy for organic products and agri-
tourism
6. Setting up focal point for KM and
technology transfer
7. Identify Local Champions to train others
8. Turn farmers into traders through a
community mechanism
9. AIM HIGH! and Think globally act locally!
AIMS is the newest IFAD supported initiative in Cambodia and
the first one under agreement with the Ministry of Commerce.
AIMS commitments for 2017 are focused on a quick start-up.

59
As can be seen from this report, the ACPoR
laid a road map per project for 2017.
From tree of commitments the reader can
move to the tables 2,3 and 4 for an easier
understanding key aspects of every project
that will be monitored throughout the year.

2. Evaluation of the ACPoR
To evaluate the ACPoR achievements per
its objectives and facilitation, Procasur, IFAD
and the project leaders conducted a group
evaluation at the end of it. The survey was
completed by 92 participants and included
8 questions. In the evaluation process,
participants highlighted innovative learning
experiences like the knowledge sharing fair,
the field visit and the tree of commitments,
while at the same time praising and
emphasizing the importance of exchanging
with other projects. In short, evaluation shows
how important these types of gatherings are.
For example, in the Philippines, ACPoR has
been organized for 10 consecutive years,
leading to an overall improvement of both
projects and country performance. As Thierry,
Benoit IFAD-CPM said “It’s the first time ever
for Cambodia to hold an ACPoR workshop,
which is an extraordinary opportunity to
interrelate and collaborate across projects.
As a good practice Cambodia will organize it
again next year!”
Other survey results are presented in the following charts:

61
LIST OF ANNEXES
1. Overview of Cambodia Portfolio and
Partnership Presentations
and Economic Empowerment
PADEE Presentations
3. Agricultural Services Prograrmme for
ASPIRE Presentations
4. Accelerating Inclusive Markets for
Smallholders AIMS Presentations
Smallholders Development Project
TSSD Presentations
6. International Fund for Agricultural De-
velopment - IFAD Presentations
7. Prey Nup Polders Field Visit
Presenta-tions
8. Comparative Statistics Indicators in the
Mekong Region

62
Overview of
Cambodia Portfolio
and Partnership Overview
of
Cambodia
Por0olio
and
Partnership

IFAD-‐Kingdom
of
Cambodia
Country
Por0olio
Review

Sihanoukville,
24
–
26
January
2017

Background
•  Cambodia
join
IFAD
in
1992,

shortly
a9er
1991
Paris

Peace
Agreement.

•  It
starts
from
when

agricultural
ﬁelds
were

mined
and
reconstrucCon

had
yet
to
begin.
It
has
been

a
long
way
since
then.

63
•  IFAD
operaCons
is
guided
by
Country
Strategic

OpportuniCes
Programme
(COSOP)

•  The
COSOP
strategic
objecCve
has
been
shi9ed
to
meet
the

challenges
the
country
faces
today.

1998
–
2007:

First
COSOP

Agriculture
and

rural
development

within
Seila

Decentralize

programme

ADESS,
CBRDP,

RPRP

1995
–
98:

No
COSOP

Livestock
sector

APIP

2008
-‐2012:

Second
COSOP

Agriculture
and

Rural

Development

within
D&D

Framework

TSSD,
PADEE

2013-‐2018:

Third
COSP

Market,
CC,

rural
extension

service,
and

programme

support

ASPIRE,
AIMS
,

SRET

Peace
ReconciliaCon

SubnaConal

admin
reform

Market-‐led

growth

DistribuLon
of
Household
Poverty
Rate

64
Introduction to the Programme
Closed
Loans
AcLve
Loans

•  Agriculture
ProducCvity
Improvement

Project
(APIP):
1997-‐2005

•  Agricultural
Developmnet
Support
Project
to

Sella
(ADES):
2000-‐2006

•  Community-‐based
Rural
Development

Project
in
Kampong
Thom
and
Kampot

(CBRDP):
2001-‐2010

•  Rural
Poverty
ReducCon
Project
in
Prey
Veng

and
Svay
Rieng
(RPRP):
2004-‐2011

•  Rural
Livelihoods
Improvement
Project
in

KraCe,
Preah
Vihear
and
Ratanakiri
(RuLIP):

2007-‐2015

•  Tonle
Sap
Poverty
ReducCon
and

Smallholder
Development
Project
(TSSD):

2010-‐2018

•  Project
for
Agricultural
Development
and

Economic
Empowerment
(PADEE):

2012-‐2018

•  Agriculture
Services
Programme
for

InnovaCon,
Resilience
and
Extension

(ASPIRE):
2015-‐2021

•  Scaling
up
Renewable
Technology
(SRET):

2016-‐2020

•  AcceleraCng
Inclusive
Market
for
Small

holder
(AIMS):
2017-‐2022

Timeline
overview
–3
COSOPs

(1993-‐1997)
(1998-‐2012)
(2013-‐2017)

Projects

97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

APIP

ADESS

CBRDP

RPRP

RULIP

TSSP

PADEE

ASPIRE

AIMS

Cambodia Country Programme Review 2017

Cambodia Country Programme Review 2017

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