Blinken Announces $25 mn Aid to Improve Food Security in Cambodia

US State Secretary Antony Blinken announced USD 25 million in USAID aid to Cambodia to improve food security and nutrition. The assistance comes on the heels of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN55th)'s meeting of foreign ministers, which began on Wednesday in Cambodia's capital of Phnom Penh to discuss Pandemic recovery and regional issues.

"Today, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced a new USAID-led Feed the Future project called "Harvest III" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, at a critical time when a food insecurity crisis threatens Southeast Asia," according to a USAID.

Through private sector engagement, the project will support Cambodia's economic growth and food security by creating better jobs, diversifying diets, and improving the well-being of Cambodians, particularly women, youth, and marginalized populations.

More than 60% of Cambodians live in rural areas and make their living through agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Climate shocks, such as temperature fluctuations, changes in rainfall patterns, and extreme weather events, make these rural Cambodians particularly vulnerable. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 45 percent of Cambodians are food insecure.

Harvest III is a five-year, up to USD 25 million project that promotes inclusive, sustainable economic growth by modernizing and diversifying Cambodia's agriculture sector, assisting farmers in improving how they grow and market their produce, and connecting them with previously inaccessible buyers and international markets.

The activity will also assist families in developing resilience in the face of growing climate threats as well as the current global food, fertilizer, and fuel crisis. Harvest III builds on the success of its predecessor, HARVEST II (2017-2022), which generated USD 28 million in new private sector investments, supported the development of national agriculture policies to promote market access and improve standards, and assisted in the development of 140 new agricultural products for domestic and international markets, resulting in over USD 75 million in incremental sales.

Since 2010, US agricultural investments in Cambodia have helped 200,000 farmers increase their production and sales of fruits, vegetables, rice, and fish, and have contributed to a 10% reduction in childhood stunting over the last eight years through improved, diverse diets.

HARVEST III reaffirms the United States' commitment to improve food security and economic growth with the private sector, while also promoting climate-smart, sustainable agricultural practices that will improve the lives of rural Cambodians for many years to come.