Rural development in Cambodia

Em Yem feeding her pig, which she got through the Village Development Committee-run rice and pig bank [Jim Holmes]

Villagers in Prey Kmoa are benefitting from CIDSE Cambodia's rural development programme

CAFOD partner International Cooperation for Development and Solidarity (CIDSE) focuses on agricultural training, irrigation and clean water provision; primary and community-based health care and credit and savings programmes for women.

Villagers in Prey Kmoa, Kampot Province, are benefitting from a number of schemes set up by CIDSE Cambodia since 1995.

CIDSE set up a rice bank, followed by pig and cow banks.

An irrigation system with a pump has been installed to help families get two rice crops per year, and there are also health education and adult-literacy classes running.

Em Yem, 46, heads one of the poorest families in the village. She got a sow from the pig bank in 1998, which had nine piglets by the following year.

Yem returned four to the bank, gave one to a relative and sold the rest for about £1.25 each.

“I was very pleased when I was elected onto the village development committee. I’ve learned a lot: human rights, managing a rice bank, agriculture.

"I’m very pleased that an ordinary person like me can lead and help their community to develop. I feel proud.”

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