ADB Approves $72m to Support Cambodia’s Rural Farmers and Women in Agriculture

The package includes a $57 million concessional loan and a $15 million grant from the Asian Development Fund, which supports countries most in need as they address immediate challenges and build foundations for lasting growth.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $72 million financing package to strengthen farming in rural Cambodia, expand women's participation in agriculture and help about 200,000 smallholder farmers in disaster-prone communes better withstand extreme weather and economic shocks.

The package includes a $57 million concessional loan and a $15 million grant from the Asian Development Fund, which supports countries most in need as they address immediate challenges and build foundations for lasting growth.

The Smallholder Resilient Economic Development Sector Project will improve agricultural infrastructure and services across 186 communes in seven provinces severely exposed to natural hazards, giving farmers better access to irrigation, markets, training and support for more resilient livelihoods.

Funding brings together regional and international partners

ADB's financing will be supported by $23 million in co-financing from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Infrastructure Fund, a $10 million grant from the Green Climate Fund and a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, financed by the Government of Japan through ADB. The Government of Cambodia will contribute another $4.3 million, bringing the combined financing and contributions to $112.3 million for investments in rural infrastructure, farming practices and community preparedness.

ADB Country Director for Cambodia Yasmin Siddiqi said investment in smallholder farmers, particularly women, is essential to strengthening the rural economy and supporting poorer communities exposed to extreme weather, with women's involvement in local decisions helping agricultural value chains become more inclusive and food systems more resilient. She said the project would support women-led businesses and give families greater opportunities to build healthier, more secure futures through women's leadership and participation in local development programs.

Irrigation and roads will improve access to farmland and markets

Heatwaves, drought and flooding place overlapping pressures on Cambodia's agriculture and food systems, damaging infrastructure, restricting access to markets and worsening food insecurity in rural areas, where 59% of the population lives.

Women account for 51% of the country's agricultural labor force and face particular difficulties because their access to economic opportunities, support services and financing remains limited, leaving them more vulnerable when disasters disrupt production and household incomes.

The project will modernize irrigation systems to serve an additional 7,000 hectares of farmland and rehabilitate 190 kilometers of access roads, improving connections to markets, jobs and other opportunities for farming communities, particularly women and underserved groups.

Farmers will receive technical support and training in crop production, horticulture, poultry, insect farming and aquaculture, helping them develop practical skills and adopt production methods better suited to increasingly difficult growing conditions.

Grants and local planning will strengthen disaster preparedness

Grants will help farmers reduce their dependence on imported fuel and fertilizers, addressing exposure to disruptions in global supplies and supporting their ability to withstand disasters and economic shocks. Community resilience planning will involve women and vulnerable populations in developing and implementing local early-warning and disaster-response systems, giving those most exposed to hazards a role in decisions that affect their safety and livelihoods.

The project will support healthier diets and stronger management of natural hazards and disaster risks, connecting improvements in agricultural production with food security and community preparedness. ADB's established partnerships with Cambodia and ASEAN underpin its support for investments across Southeast Asia that strengthen resilience, improve rural livelihoods and advance inclusive, sustainable development.