Phnom Penh: The second phase of Cambodia’s Agricultural Value Chain Project aims to enhance the country’s agricultural value chains, making them more efficient and productive.

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, as part of this initiative, the project has rehabilitated and constructed a total of 12 completed irrigation systems across Takeo, Kandal, and Prey Veng provinces. These completed irrigation systems guarantee a sufficient water supply for farmers, enabling them to cultivate rice up to three times a year, in addition to growing other complementary crops. With these systems in place, farmers no longer have to worry about water shortages affecting their production.

Each system features 12 automated pumping stations powered by electricity, ensuring efficient water distribution. The stations pump water into the main canals, which then feed into secondary canals before reaching smaller field channels that deliver water directly to farmland. The irrigation systems are managed by community-based farmer water-user groups, established by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology. These groups ensure smooth operations and active participation to provide reliable water access for farmers.

This project has been implemented across three provinces: Takeo Province, with five irrigation and pumping station systems-Wat Thmey, Wat Thmey 3, Canal 90, Ta Suong Canal, and Char 1; Prey Veng Province, with five systems-Angkor Ang, Anlong Reach, Peam Ro, Ta Heil, and Dei Krahom; and Kandal Province, with two systems-Sambour and Char 2. These systems collectively support approximately 10,000 hectares of agricultural land.