The project supports the implementation of part of the National Rice Sector and Rice Export Development Policy.
It comprises 5 components as follows:

• Support the development of professional and inter-professional organizations in the Cambodian rice sector,
• Improve Cambodian Rice quality consistency and international market recognition : development of quality standards and quality label (collective trademark) and of control and certification mechanisms.
• Support the involvement Farmer Organizations in the commercialization of paddy,
• Up-grade Rural Development Bank,
• Project Management and Coordination.

Support overall coordination and management of the project:

• Project management, organization of steering committee and consultation meetings.- Monitoring and Evaluation of activities, and reporting.
• Development of ToR for external consultants and organization of procurement process (AFD procedures),
• Coordination with other stakeholders interventions in the sector.

Technical expertise for the implementation of all the project components:

• Institutional advise and strengthening of capacities of professional and inter-professionnal organizations (Federations of Farmer Organizations, Federation of Cambodian Rice Exporters, Cambodian Rice Federation).
• Development of FO Federations services to their members.
• Coordination of market study and promotion events. Support the development of a certification mark for Cambodian Jasmine rice and the elaboration of compliance control mechanisms.
• Development and facilitation of the implementation of pilot innovative action for paddy commercialization by or with Farmer Organizations (development of commercial activities of cooperatives or other farmer organizations, contract farming agreements…).
• Development of an organic paddy supply chain through Contract Farming between cooperatives and rice exporters: 19 cooperatives involved, 2 exporters, supply of more than 8,700 tons of organic paddy (certify for both EU and USA organic standards), and seeting up of a sustainable Cooperative Union.
• Support to Farmer Water User Organizations on paddy commercialization activities.
• Development of MAFF Manual on Contract Farming in Cambodia.
• Supervision of consultants and contribution to the institutional consolidation and up-grading of the Rural Development Bank.
• Development of an innovative mechanism of credit dedicated to Agricultural Cooperatives within the Rural Development Bank + guarantee mechanism.