Improving Income and Nutrition through Community Empowerment (INCOME) in Srei Snam District is being implemented in six communes (Chrouy Neang Nguon, Klang Hay, Prei, Slaeng Spean, Tram Sasar, and Moung Communes). According to the Report of Commune Councils, these selected communes are considered to have the highest poverty rates in the District with between 11.2% and 70.1% of households living below the poverty line. The villagers living in these communes are facing problems including but not limited to drought, food shortages, and low yields of rice and vegetables due to poor agricultural tools and techniques and irregular market demand. In addition, there is the incidence of high malnutrition and low social morals, high rates of domestic violence, high rates of migration rate due to low job opportunities in the communities, and high illiteracy rates, especially among women. As a key tenet of Project INCOME, impoverished famers have been willing to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in their communities with the support from Rachna Satrei (RS) and the local authorities.

 

The objectives of these SHGs are to improve household income (level and stability), build community solidarity/cohesion, and promote gender equality. These goals are in line with the larger strategy of the Cambodian Royal Government (CRG) which seeks to alleviate poverty and promote gender equality in Cambodia in order to create a favourable environment for outside investments and promote regional and international integration. In addition, local 1 authorities and community members have demonstrated a strong commitment to implement the project by committing to mobilize local resources in the amount of USD 103,129 out of USD 191,964 total project cost.

 

Through this project, RS will work with 1,200 poor families (200 original families and 1,000 ‘passing on the gift’ families) as they form themselves into 48 SHGs in which women are the primary representatives of project families. Project INCOME will provide 600 swine to the 200 original families (3 piglets per family) as well as crop seeds, animal feed, tree seedlings and training in agricultural techniques in addition to other skills on leadership, microfinance management, gender, health and sanitation, and environmental protection. RS will also empower the SHGs to be involved in project management processes starting from designing the project through implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as the establishment of functioning PMC, CAVE and Agriculture Cooperatives. The overarching aim of Project INCOME is to motivate these communities to effectively and sustainably utilize their local resources while local enhancing income-generating opportunities.

 

Project Goal

Project Goal Improving livelihoods and food security of 1,200 vulnerable and marginalized families through swine value chain contributing towards import substitution in Cambodia 4.2.2 Project Objectives and Activities

 

By 2017, women project participants are empowered and have strong social capital through Objective 1: effective and efficient application of VBHCD approach.

 

Objective 2: By 2017, 1,200 project families will have increased their income by 100% over the baseline through enhancing the swine value chain, and other agricultural activities