Cambodia

What we do

In Cambodia, the work of ICCO Cooperation focuses on all three strategies. We work towards responsible business and defend rights of small scale producers, communities and indigenous people in securing access to and control over land and natural resources. Especially in agriculture, forestry and fishery. Moreover, ICCO Cooperation focuses on rural entrepreneurship and inclusive markets. Food security is a cross-cutting theme in our Cambodian program.

Our expertise

ICCO has been funding projects in Cambodia since 1974. Our support was interrupted during the Khmer Rouge until 1993. In that year we resumed our program in a country that suffered from a post-war situation. ICCO focused its program on rehabilitation of the society. In 2000 we made a shift towards conflict transformation and democratization.

In our current work, our aim is to empower ethnic minorities and marginalized rural people to (maintain) access to and control over natural resources, and to connect them and small and medium businesses (SMEs) to inclusive value chains. Together with the private sector, governmental and financial institutions, and other partners we make existing value chains more sustainable and inclusive.

In Cambodia, ICCO Cooperation South East Asia makes use of the following interlinked approaches and models:

Markets for the Poor (M4P)

The M4P approach aims to transform market structures by increasing the participation of the poor, and to make the market more beneficial and sustainable for them.

Value Chain Development

We focus on empowering small producers and marginalized groups by connecting them to viable and sustainable value chains and its actors, to generate income and improve food security.

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP)

Our emphasis has always been on partnerships and cooperation. The PPP-model connects the resources and expertise of various sectors (governments, companies, knowledge institutes, ngo’s) when implementing entrepreneurial programs to eradicate poverty.

Business Incubation & Impact Investment

Through our investments programs, ICCO contributes to fair economic development in emerging economies. ICCO provides conditional capital (such as loans, equity and guarantees), by ‘blending’ financial instruments. Our Business Incubator Program provides capacity and capital to small and medium enterprises and farmer cooperatives, for them to grow and develop into strong and independent enterprises.

Business & Human Rights

We work with local communities, private sector actors and governments to achieve a world where the private sector operationalizes its role as an important partner for development. We see the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGP’s) as an important guideline and framework for private sector sustainability.