Phnom Penh, Cambodia: With support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Department of Planning and Statistics (DPS) of Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) conducted a technical training with an aim of strengthening capacity of government officials in collecting data, beyond production. 

The two-day training of trainers (ToT) provided the representatives of the 16 Provincial Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (PDAFF) and MAFF-DPS with a training on FAO’s methodology for value chain studies[1] and data collection. As expressed by many participants of the training, new capacities were acquired, for example on the approach for collecting qualitative data.

“With a focus on improving smallholders’ access to new and existing markets of the identified value chains[2], the study will undertake in-depth analysis in order toidentify policy interventions and potentialinvestments for improving performance and inclusiveness of these value chains. In fact, the study will investigate and document evidences of market opportunities, commercial viability and potential benefits for smallholders in each selected value chain,” said Mr Ny You, Agribusiness Economist based at FAO Headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Commodity value chain study is crucially important and data collection capacity is a must for the selected enumerators in gathering accurate information for policy development, said Mr Meng Seng, the Director of Planning and Accounting Office at the Takeo PDAFF, one of selected the enumerators for the study.

“For the first time, officials at the sub-national level will take part in data collection for a value chain study. Such a study is more comprehensive and complex than production surveys or agricultural census that I previously conducted. Technical support from FAO experts is very much needed,” he said. 

Mr Meng Seng and other enumerators are expected to roll out the training to their colleagues at the provincial level, prior to and during data collection, which will be carried out in late February 2020.  

Mr Mak Mony, Director of Planning and Statistics (DPS) of MAFF, thanked FAO for its timely technical support in response to an urgent need of the Ministry, while its implementation of the Government’s strategy to commercialize the agriculture sector has been accelerating. By targeting high value agricultural products, it is expected that income for smallholder farmers will improve and that the sector will attract youth and women, who are important in sustaining the momentum of a resilient economic growth in Cambodia, he said.

He added that the focus on value-addition for each value chain actor has policy implications and is beneficial for formulating agriculture related policies, including the next cycle of Agricultural Strategic Development Plan (ASDP), and the Agriculture Master Plan (AMP) 2030.

During his closing remarks, Mr Oum Kosal, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) appreciated the cooperation and collective efforts between the MAFF-DPS and FAO, together with the PDAFFs in the target provinces on this important study.

This ToT for key enumerators will improve the quality of field data collection for a successful study that meets the demand of the MAFF and the Royal Government of Cambodia, Mr Oum Kosal said.

“Through the ToT session today, I hope that key enumerators will actively participate and learn from the study experts. FAO looks forward to further discussing the results of the study,” he added.