Project Overview
Cambodia's climate vulnerability is characterized by frequent flooding, droughts, storms, and irregular rainfall. Women and marginalized groups are the most affected by climate change.
According to data from the last 20 years, production losses were primarily caused by flooding (62%), and drought (36%). Cambodia has wide access to water, but only 2% of total surface water is utilized. Around 2,300 irrigation schemes in the country irrigate only 1.2 million hectares, or 22% of total arable land; many of them are not or are only partially operational. There are therefore two key challenges in irrigation: the lack of irrigation schemes and the failure to sustainably manage the existing schemes.
Nurture's overall goal is to make vulnerable smallholder farming households and their communities more resilient to climate change and to increase their incomes through climate proofing of agro-ecosystems.
Project at a Glance
Target Areas
Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Oddar Meanchey, and Preah Vihear provinces
Target Group
15,000 households
Smallholder farmers and rural communities
Budget
$9,000,000
Total project funding
Duration
Implementing Partners
HEKS/EPER • Caritas Switzerland
In partnership with local organizations
Outcomes
Meet the Team
Donors
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. In 2012, the SDC opened a cooperation office in Phnom Penh to coordinate Switzerland’s development cooperation activities in Cambodia.
The SDC’s overall goal for the Swiss Cooperation Programme in the Mekong Region 2022–25, and its activities in Cambodia, is to enable people—particularly young people, women, and disadvantaged groups—to be more prosperous, resilient, and better included in development processes.
HEKS/EPER
In over 30 countries on four continents, Swiss Church Aid HEKS/EPER supports development cooperation projects to combat poverty and injustice, and advocates for a life in dignity for all people.
In parallel, HEKS/EPER also strives for systemic change through its development work—both in Switzerland and worldwide.
Caritas Switzerland
Caritas Switzerland prevents, alleviates, and fights against poverty in Switzerland and around 20 countries worldwide. It is an independent association with its Head Office in Lucerne and a member of the international Caritas network, which comprises 160 organizations globally.