The Ministry of Commerce struck 827 contracts worth $26.9 million through the Accelerating Inclusive Markets for Smallholders (AIMS) project in 2020, according to a report from the ministry.
The AIMS project is scheduled for February 28, 2017-March 31, 2023 with a total budget of $45 million, of which the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is to provide $36.25 million and the government $8.68 million.
The ministry has organised 1,580 smallholder farmer clusters comprising 51,383 households, accounting for 68.5 per cent of agro-commercial products such as high-graded “luxury” varieties of rice paddy, free-range poultry, vegetables, cassava and Khmer silk, it said in the report.
“The Ministry of Commerce has facilitated 827 buy-sell contracts between farmers and buyers and between farmers and suppliers of [agricultural] inputs with a total volume of 121,037.8 tonnes worth $26.9 million.
"We will continue to coordinate with the private sector to expand the domestic market through additional buy-sell contracts, by setting up memorandums of understanding [MoU] that the ministry plans to sign with six rice millers, five vegetable buyers and four raw agricultural supplying companies,” the ministry said.
The AIMS project aims to benefit at least 75,000 smallholder farming households, increasing incomes and boosting family economies, the ministry said. The project also develops infrastructure to potential areas and improves access to markets.
The ministry has registered 61,925 farming households in AIMS’ management information system (MIS), accounting for 82.6 per cent of the 75,000 target, and provided 333 wells equipped with water pumping motors to the 18 provinces reached by the project.
The ministry aims to chalk up at least another 13,075 farming households this year, surpassing the target over a year ahead of schedule.
