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Finance: Agriculture Rural and Development Bank (ARDB)

Background

Information to CA is limited as the commercial application of CA is relatively new in Cambodia. All kinds of channels need to be used to spread the knowledge of CA. Finance always plays an important role for farmers hence coupling CA knowledge with financial institutions will help in disseminating CA information through market actors. This will also help the financial service providers to understand the financial needs of farmers to apply CA practices and thus can tailor their products accordingly. In addition, ARDB understands about farmers demand in CA/SI machinery and technology. Through this collaboration, ARDB aims provide CA loan to small holder farmers and promote CA with their target clients.

Aims and Objectives

ARDB aims to provide credit to farmers practicing agroecology and regenerative agriculture particularly green financing loan with low interest rate through the  Met Kasekor and other related events.

Institutionalisation Vision

ARDB institutionalizes a loan product for CA farmers. In additional, this green financing initiative with ARDB aims to test the effectiveness of blending CA knowledge with financing for replication. A handbook (depending on intervention progress) will be developed as a product offering of Swisscontact as a resource for interested stakeholders to replicate efforts elsewhere.

ARDB in the making

2021
Need for green financing and CA loans identified
ISA aimed to partner with AMK Microfinance to promote the practice of conservation agriculture mainly Conservation Agriculture Loans or cover crop accessibility to smallholder farmers. However, due to external limitations, it did not continue.
2022
Partnership with ARDB on green financing initiated
In 2022, the idea of providing green financing to smallholder farmers was discussed with the ARDB team to understand the potential scope for collaboration. This discussion led to a potential partnership.
2023
Memorandum of Understanding signed and activities commenced
In 2023, the MoU between the ISA project and ARDB was signed to provide a framework for collaboration and to build a strategic partnership to increase financial access to farmers who practice conservation agriculture and for the purpose of purchasing agricultural machinery and agri-implements which can reduce land degradation and can maintain land quality. ARDB will also conduct a promotional event for CA loans in the MetKasekor events where the PDAFF will disseminate the practice of conservation agriculture to ARDB clients in the target provinces.

Events & Articles

Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
07.02.2023
Farmers practicing conservation agriculture, to receive access to finance through Agriculture and Rural Development Bank
On January 2nd, 2023, Swisscontact signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (ARDB) with an aim to increase financial access to farmers who practice conservation agriculture.
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