Machinery: Seva Kasekor

Background

Accessibility and affordability to production means, such agricultural machineries (no-till seeder, roller crimper) and services that are specific to Conservation Agriculture and seeds of cover crops are emphasized as one of the main bottlenecks to foster the dissemination of such agroecological systems.

To address the accessibility, affordability of agricultural machineries, and to promote regenerative agriculture machinery including the straw management effectively and efficiently in Cambodia, a steering mechanism led by the public sector was needed. Therefore, Seva Kasekor (Service to farmers) aims to be established and led by Department of Agriculture Engineering (DAEng). Currently establishment of a Task Force under the Department of Agricultural Engineering (DAEng) of the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) that would provide support to agricultural Cooperatives (ACs) and private service providers to foster the uptake of services for Conservation Agriculture is being discussed. Swisscontact will support the task force secretariat including the strategic roadmap.   

Aims and Objectives

SevaKasekor aims to support Agricultural Cooperatives, Private Local Service Providers, and Farmers/Service Providers to foster the uptake of Conservation Agriculture Machinery and improve CA machinery service provision in Cambodia. The Seva Kasekor aims to support on (1) financial discount scheme, (2) technical training and assistance, and (3) closely communicate and measure the progress with different profiles and modalities of service providers to ensure their improvements and feedbacks regarding their investments on CA machinery service provisions to smallholder farmers. With this modality, Seva Kasekor expects, to improve the transition of regenerative agriculture and importantly improve their farming systems and generate more income through the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.

Institutionalization Vision

Seva Kasekor aims to be institutionalized within the government system, specifically within Department of Agriculture Engineering (DAEng).

Seva Kasekor in the Making

2017
Private Sector Engaged
Over the course of sustainable development of CA, it was crucial to engage private sector actors along the agricultural value chains to provide technologies, inputs, operation know-how, and access to finance to support the transition process of farmers, in addition to the services already offered by CASC. With this recognition, Conservation Agriculture Services with a Fee (CASF) together with Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Program (MIGIP) facilitated the engagement of private sector and contributed to the commercialization of CA-related machinery and cover crop seed production.
2019
Growing interest and involvement in no till planter’s service provision and straw management
Import of no-till planters have been initiated since 2019. A total of 17 no-till planters are commercially obtained. However, the sale of such implements faces several challenges primarily due to (1) the affordability considering that the current no-till planters that are imported costs over $8,000, (2) the diversity of strategies of ACs and private service providers based on their financial capacities, profitability and engagement into the services’ business, and (3) the technical and capacity building support to ACs and service providers that should go hand-to-hand with the sale of these new implements and (4) the service fee that the farmers need to pay the service providers. The service providers have mentioned that they do not make a profit at the current tilling rate of around US $30/ha. The farmers are not willing to pay more.
2022
Towards institutionalisation with a steering mechanism
To promote CA machinery effectively and efficiently in Cambodia, there is a need for the development of a proper strategy. The strategy then would overcome the pain points of the service providers who would then be incentivized to provide no-till services. Therefore, there is an ongoing discussion on the establishment of a steering mechanism that focuses on introducing and promoting CA machinery and implements to smallholder farmers.
2023
Commencement of activities of Seva Kasekor
An agreement with DAEng is planned to be signed in 2023. A task force will be established. Under the Seva Kasekor model, DAEng will establish service provider networks and commence activities on financial discount schemes, technical training, and assistance. DAEng will closely communicate and measure the progress with different profiles and modalities of service providers to ensure their improvement and feedback regarding their investments in CA machinery service provisions to smallholder farmers. The task force is also planned to be established in 2023. Furthermore, DAEng and stakeholders, under the Seva Kasekor model, aim to provide technical support to companies on importation and logistic planning of CA technologies, including support to rent and sell no-till planters to service providers. Seva Kasekor however does not provide services and run activities, it only provides coordination support to enable the activities. The first draft of the Seva Kasekor handbook is also planned to be published. A total of 1000 hectares with 2 machines are projected to be covered by Seva Kasekor.

Events/articles

Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
10.08.2023
Collaboration to Further Strengthen Agroecology in Cambodia, through SevaKasekor
On July 1st, 2023, the Department of Agricultural Engineering (DAEng) and Swisscontact entered into a partnership agreement to facilitate the implementation of the SevaKasekor Facility in Cambodia. This collaboration contributes positively to the Rectangular Agroecology Systematic Approach of Cambodia Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Intensification Consortium (CASIC), which aims to facilitate the transition from conventional agricultural practices to agroecology in Cambodia.
Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
23.05.2022
Scaling up proven mechanization technologies for Regenerative Agriculture – Experiences from Cambodia
The commercialization pathways developed as a result of experiences gathered over the past five years, through the implementation of the Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP) and the Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture (ISA) projects of Swisscontact in Cambodia shows promise in scaling up proven mechanization technologies for regenerative agriculture (more specifically conservation agriculture and sustainable intensification).
Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
05.12.2020
Encouraging soil conservation through Conservation Agriculture (CA) Production Systems (CAPS): CA initiative in Cambodia
Cambodia’s agriculture sector is one of the key engines for economic growth and poverty reduction in the country. According to World Bank database (2020), 31% of the total population is working in agriculture. The major crops in Cambodia are rice, maize, cassava, and sugarcane. As the world relies on countries like Cambodia in Southeast Asia to feed a growing population, the impetus is on doing so in a sustainable manner. Conservation Agriculture (CA) characterized by three linked principles: Minimal soil disturbance, Cover crops and Crops diversification, is a key to sustainable crop production intensification in feeding a growing world population while conserving ecological and natural resources. Cambodia had embarked upon CA initiatives with a primary focus on cropping system design, soil fertility assessment, agricultural engineering, rather than commercial practices. However, in recent years, commercial practices have also been promoted in this area.
Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
20.12.2019
Farmer Cooperatives Introduced to Conservation Agriculture
Curious looks on the faces of the members of Cambodia farmer Cooperatives could be observed as they are introduced to the practices of Conservation Agriculture (CA). This observation was made during an awareness raising workshop on CA practices in Cambodia on December 20, 2019. This reaction is quite understandable as most of the arable land in...

Events/articles

Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
27.10.2019
Cambodia Agriculture Machinery and Technology Association (CAMTA) to Qingdao
Members of Cambodia Agriculture Machinery and Technology Association (CAMTA) are participating in a China International Agriculture Machinery Exhibition (CIAME) and the 5th Regional Council of Agricultural Machinery Associations (ReCAMA) in Asia and the Pacific Training and Study Tour in Qingdao, China from October 28 to November 02, 2019.
Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
31.08.2019
Regional Training on Appropriate Scale Mechanisation for Conservation Agriculture
The Regional Training on Appropriate Scale Mechanisation for Conservation Agriculture was held on May 6-9, 2019 in Siem Reap and Bos Khnor, Cambodia. The training was jointly organized by the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), Cambodia, and the Centre for Sustainable...
Cambodia
Sustainable agriculture
31.07.2019
Commercial No-Till Planters Enters Cambodia Market
The Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP) and Conservation Agriculture Service with a Fee (CASF) have joined hands to promote Conservation Agriculture (CA). MIGIP would support in the private sector engagement, whereas CASF would work on the technical aspects of CA. Conservation Agriculture (CA) is a farming system that...