IFC and Mars Food to promote sustainable rice production in Cambodia

The project is expected to result in a 20 percent increase in yield and a 25 percent increase in income by 2025 .


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 22-05-2018 15:35 IST | Created: 22-05-2018 15:29 IST
IFC and Mars Food to promote sustainable rice production in Cambodia
Partnership to promote sustainable development of Cambodia’s rice industry. (Image Credit: YouTube)
  • Country:
  • Cambodia

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group has partnered with Mars Food, a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated. and Battambang Rice Investment Co., Ltd (BRICo) to promote sustainable development of Cambodia’s rice industry. 80 percent of farmers in Cambodia are engaged in rice farming, the new partnership will help Cambodia’s agri-sector expand market access, increase export value, and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The project is expected to result in a 20 percent increase in yield and a 25 percent increase in income by 2025 by assisting farmers with new agricultural standards and practices developed by the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) and improving farmers’ adoption of technology and climate-smart agriculture practices Cambodia’s rice exports have grown tenfold since 2010, with the raised industry standards, improved efficiency of rice millers and re-processors, and streamlining of export procedures, among others.

However, with new sustainable farming, processing practices, and enhanced value chain linkages, the rice production value could be further increased. In addition, with climate change threats, there is an urgent need to shift to a more sustainable way of growing rice.

“The aim is to integrate small farmers and SMEs into a more effective rice value chain by providing them with better access to improved inputs, technology, knowledge, and markets, better firm linkages and training,” said Kyle Kelhofer, IFC Country Manager for Vietnam, Cambodia and Lao PDR. “Building on our earlier support to Cambodia’s rice sector, this project will further help the industry achieve its full potential by boosting its export of traceable, sustainable, and high-quality rice products.” 

IFC has been supporting Cambodia’s rice sector over the past few years by helping to add value to every step of the supply chain, with key interventions at the farming, milling and export stages.

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