Swiss NGO to invest $7.8m in agriculture projects

Swiss NGO HEKS/EPER yesterday announced a five-year strategy that will see nearly $8 million poured into programmes that tackle food security, access to water, good governance, and the cashew nut value chain, among others.

Covering the years 2018-2022, the HEKS/EPER Foundation’s programme directly targets 100,000 people in the provinces of Pursat, Kampong Chhnang, Prey Veng, Tboung Khmum, Kratie, Mondulkiri, and Stung Treng.

“The new HEKS/EPER’s programme will increase food security and income from agricultural market systems, secure access to land, water and other natural resources, improve intra and intergroup relationship and enhance good governance,” said Dr Marc Zoss, head of the Asia and Europe department at HEKS/EPER.

Also introduced as part of the programme was a project that focuses on the value chain of cashew nuts.

The Cashew Value Chain and Access to Land project will improve livelihoods and land tenure security of poor rural communities and indigenous people in Kratie, Stung Treng and Mondulkiri, said Sivouthan Norng, HEKS/EPER country director.

He said the project will focus on supply chain development, access to quality inputs, dissemination of technical know-how and access to quality seedlings.

“In order to secure farmers’ access to land, the project will support indigenous communities who are involved in communal land titling processes and strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in the three provinces,” Mr Norng said.

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