Project activities

Communication & Networking

  • Decision and Advisory Board supervising project implementation
  • Kick-off Meeting organized on May 16–17, 2025
  • Sharing platform – SharePoint – Resources
  • Public communication:
  • International Conference at National University of Battambang in September/November 2027
 

Cooperatives

The project will carry out a detailed assessment of selected agricultural cooperatives in Battambang to better understand their challenges and opportunities. The analysis will focus on the following areas:

  • Technical education needs: Evaluation of existing knowledge and training in agricultural mechanisation and smart technologies.
  • Use of agricultural technologies: Review of current tools, equipment, and practices used by each cooperative.
  • Capacity building priorities: Identification of areas where cooperatives require support to improve productivity and efficiency.
  • Value chain stakeholder mapping: Identification of key actors involved in each cooperative’s production and marketing process, with the goal of encouraging collaboration.

Data will be collected on key attributes, including:

  • Membership structure and size
  • Production and processing capacity
  • Training levels in mechanisation
  • Financial resources for technology investment

This information will help build tailored profiles for each cooperative, clearly outlining their strengths, limitations, and development potential. It will also guide targeted support in areas such as technical education and improved access to agricultural technologies.

Expanding Smart Technologies

1. National University of Battambang (FAFP, NUBB)
  • Advanced smart technologies will support research in smart agriculture and practical education for students and local professionals.
  • This ensures high-quality learning and innovation relevant to Battambang’s farming context.
2. Battambang Institute of Technology (BIT) & Provincial Agriculture Office
  • Technologies and tools will be installed in training workshops to support hands-on learning and demonstrate modern mechanisation techniques to technicians and extension staff.
3. Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs)
  • 12 cooperatives selected through field analysis will receive smart technologies and equipment that:
    • Address their specific production gaps
    • Are compatible with existing machinery
    • Support real-world implementation of smart farming
  • Includes the core project partner: Tasey Samaki Agricultural Cooperative

Application of Smart Agriculture Technologies

Data from selected cooperative farms will be collected using drones and sensors. This data will be analyzed and applied to help farmers improve their agricultural productivity.

The resulting digital maps and best practices will serve as real-life case studies, showing how smart farming can work under Cambodian conditions.

A practical manual developed within the project will help government bodies and agricultural associations apply these methods in other regions. Over time, this will create a nationwide database that gives farmers better access to useful information while reducing their costs.

Capacity Building

Systematic training will be provided at different levels to ensure effective and sustainable know-how transfer in smart agriculture technologies. Training programmes will be tailored to the specific needs of each target group, including:

  • Faculty of Agriculture and Food Processing, NUBB
  • Battambang Institute of Technology (BIT)
  • Extension Officers from PDAFF (EO-PDAFF)
  • Communal Agricultural Officers under MAFF (CAO) and Tasey Samaki Agricultural Cooperative
  • Extension Officers from Agricultural Machinery Office (EO-AM-PDAFF)
  • Servicemen of agricultural mechanisation and technologies
  • Agricultural Cooperatives (ACs)
  • Actors in agricultural value chains

Market Competitiveness

Supporting local distribution networks and improving market connections will enable farmers to access markets and receive fair prices.

Enhancing infrastructure — including food processing, storage, transportation, and food waste management — will minimize post-harvest losses.

The strategy will also introduce technologies and practices that help farmers respond to weather variability and environmental threats, such as site-specific field operations with exact volumes of needed inputs (e.g., water, fertiliser).