In the agriculture sector, MIGIP focused on increasing successful commercial adoption of appropriate existing agriculture technologies and strengthen local capacity in the development and commercialization of new, appropriate agriculture technologies for smallholder farmers. In the tourism sector, MIGIP also contributed to increased income and employment opportunities in Kampot through increased competitiveness in the tourism sector.
MIGIP adoped Swisscontact’s Inclusive Markets Approach, and delivered its activities through its partners and supports them by strengthening their business model to be more inclusive and perform market functions effectively. MIGIP worked closely with the Government agencies, private sector enterprises (both at the national and the local level), research companies and universities.
Originally, MIGIP implementation was planned in four provinces in Cambodia. The project then expanded throughout the country based on the needs of our partners.
It has been known for being a major employer and livelihood option for most of the poor and it is one of the key engines for economic growth and poverty reduction in the country. As agriculture technologies can play a critical role in transforming Cambodia agriculture towards sustainable intensification. The programme supported the promotion of existing and new technologies giving special emphasis to sustainable agriculture, leading to more market driven employment and income generation. To achieve this vision in agriculture, MIGIP worked on the following intervention areas:
In the agriculture sector, the rate of achievement is very satisfactory. MIGIP reached 171% (19,116) out of the 11,196 targeted. The total benefit outreach is 111% (3,555) out of the 3,199. The target areas of the programme in the original plan were Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear provinces, and through effective collaboration, eleven more provinces were reached, including Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Pursat, Battambang, Kampong Speu, Rattanakiri, Kratie, and Paillin.
Most MIGIP partners, particularly the private sector, who participated in the evaluation interview shared their appreciative views on the MIGIP’s innovative approach in strategically improving service outreach for the smallholder farmers to access both existing and new technologies for their production. Most of the selected private partners participating in the interview expressed that by working with MIGIP, they learnt the approach to reach out to smallholders and the way to address challenges for the farmers.
MIGIP recognised that growth in the tourism sector has the potential to contribute to job creation, revenue generation, the improvement of people’s livelihood and poverty alleviation. MIGIP aimed to increase the competitiveness of the tourism destination focusing on strengthening destination management structures and processes through public-private partnerships. To achieve this vision in tourism, MIGIP worked on the following intervention areas:
At the beginning, the program managed to make a lot of progress in many interventions. Over the course of implementation, the programme achieved its milestones as planned, except in 2020 where the tourism sector was severely impacted by COVID-19. The programme worked with PDoT/other projects through TWG as a public and private platform to institutionalise the destination management. The platform was reported to operate to some extent, providing coordination services in marketing and product development, especially the Visitor Flow marketing strategy. The model was taken up and promoted by PDoT to market the tourist flow in the province.
In addition, the industry trainers had been capable of providing in-house training to their staff using the HoKa training materials, and SMEs’ performance had shown to be gradually improved because of hospitality training. As the training model was found to be successful and beneficial, MoT requested the expansion of the HoKa training to the nearby province in August 2018, Preah Sihanouk Ville.
The implementation of the programme ended on December 31, 2020 and the team has now started work on the second phase called Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture (ISA).
first commercial consignment of no-till planter arrived from Brazil and sold in the market
- Conservation Agriculture and Sustainable Intensification Consortium (CASIC) formed with a decision letter from His Excellency Veng Sakhon, Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).
- Agreement with CASIC to support the secretariat and the roadmap (2020-2025)
- Agribusiness Machinery Association in Cambodia (AMAC) was registered as the first agricultural machinery association in Cambodia
- Faculty of Agricultural Engineering (FAE), Royal University of Agriculture, formalised the internship program InGuider
- e-Training Need Assessment (ETNA) developed[RP2] , to find out the training needs aligned with the national competency standard.
- HoKa expanded to Preah Sihanouk
- Presentation of HoKa along with other Swisscontact Tourism Skills products during the Best Practice Seminar of ASEAN-TP
- Handed over all the systems and documents to the Kampot Tourism Working Group in a ceremony chaired by the Mr. Soy SInol, Director, Kampot Provincial Department of Tourism. The final report was also presented.
The Handbooks are a detailed step-by-step guideline for the implementation teams while carrying out the interventions. The Handbooks are produced with the experience in MIGIP. Some of the Handbooks are also produced for the project partners to be used in carrying out the intervention. In MIGIP, we took the strategy to brand the interventions hence, the different names of the Handbooks.
MIGIP has taken a “do no harm” stance in relation to gender related issues. The programme’s target was to have 12% women's participation. The programme exceeded this target to achieve 30% women in its reported access outreaches and at 32% for benefit outreach in the agriculture sector. Notably, the programme reached 46% of the women hospitality workforce through the HoKa training, and the HoKa lead trainer is female.
In the agriculture sector, a study on the role of women was carried out. The study showed that 41% of women led decision-making over income of the household compared to only 6% led by men, while the rest stated that both males and females had equal control and decision-making. In terms of asset ownership, both males and females have pretty much the same control and access.
MIGIP maintained the percentage of female learners in HoKa at 50%. Since MIGIP has been prioritising and targeting female participants, their involvement in the training continues.
The overall results from the MIGIP agriculture sector showed that the project reached 25% female beneficiaries. This number was calculated through a simple household calculation method. Female outreach could probably increase with the intervention design focusing on properly targeting women. This thought and the way to calculate women’s participation are being piloted in the follow-up ISA project. In tourism, the focus has been on working with female entrepreneurs and attendance in HoKa training. The partners, such as but not limited to the founders of Kek Soon Tour, the founder of Kampot Art Gallery (sub-working group lead of Marketing), and Sup Asia (Trapeang Sangke Tour), were all women. Moreover, HoKa’s lead trainers and main counterparts from the Department of Tourism (both Kampot and Preah Sihanouk) are female professionals who took a leadership role in the partnership. Women partners and beneficiaries have been well empowered through the project. Overall, over 46% of the learners are females.
At the intervention level, sustainability is reviewed on the capacity of partner institutions to be built and improved to continue providing services to the smallholders. Farmers’ satisfaction with the provided service can also be a strong proxy for sustaining the project results.
At the system level, the sustainability is reviewed on the effective coordination results and the extent of partners’ commitment to participate in implementing the agreed activities, their sense of ownership over the expected results, as well as their understanding of common goals and objectives of the projects they are involved in.
The Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP) has successfully achieved its overall goals and objectives through an innovative approach that actively engaged the private sector and established consumer markets for the commercialization of agricultural technologies. Alongside these notable achievements, the programme encountered a range of challenges that have provided valuable lessons for future interventions.
One of MIGIP’s key strengths was its flexibility and responsiveness throughout the implementation process. This adaptability enabled the programme to address evolving needs, respond promptly to partner requests and incorporate emerging situations and challenges into intervention designs. This responsiveness was highly valued by partners and strengthened collaboration. The selective involvement of partners through co-investment further enhanced their sense of ownership and alignment with project objectives.
Lesson learnt: Flexibility in programme design and delivery is essential for building strong partnerships and ensuring that interventions remain relevant and impactful.
Not all of the planned strategic options delivered the expected results. Some activities were discontinued and new ones introduced to maintain the programme’s trajectory towards impact. The ability to reassess, adapt and prioritise activities with the greatest potential for success was crucial.
Lesson learnt: A targeted, results-oriented approach that continuously reviews and refines activities maximises programme effectiveness.
The success of MIGIP was amplified by aligning its interventions with existing mechanisms, resources and action plans, particularly those led by government partners. The likelihood of success increased significantly where programme actions complemented ongoing work.
Lesson learnt: Leveraging existing structures and aligning with partner priorities accelerates results and strengthens sustainability.
The enthusiasm, adaptability and commitment of MIGIP’s young Cambodian team were pivotal in achieving results. Their eagerness to learn, dynamic problem-solving abilities, and effective communication with stakeholders enabled the efficient coordination and successful implementation of the Inclusive Systems Development approach.
Lesson learnt: Investing in young, motivated talent and developing their systems thinking skills can greatly increase programme efficiency and innovation.
MIGIP’s achievements were founded on the strength of its partnerships. Close collaboration between public and private sector actors has enhanced service delivery to smallholders and stimulated market growth. The programme supported coordination platforms such as CASIC and AMAC, enabling them to operate with greater confidence, expand their agricultural mechanisation services and strengthen market access for smallholders. The recognition received from these partners, including endorsement from the CASIC chair, reflects the deep trust and mutual benefit achieved.
Lesson learnt: Sustained impact depends on strong, trust-based partnerships that integrate public sector support with private sector innovation to meet the needs of smallholders.
MIGIP’s journey shows that to achieve systemic, market-driven change in agriculture, adaptability, strategic focus, partnership synergy and empowered teams are required. These lessons provide a solid foundation for designing and implementing future programmes that promote inclusive growth and sustainable market development in Cambodia and beyond.
In 2020, we talked to many of our partners and beneficiaries about our works. Following are some testimony videos that feature the impact and experiences of the interventions that Swisscontact implemented.
Experience in Agriculture Technology Commercialisation: Cambodia agriculture needs to shift towards sustainable intensification, which is only possible with techniques and technology. More specifically, farmers need to adopt the technology to increase productivity in the field. We realized this and worked in close collaboration with its public and private partners to push forward the insertion of new agriculture technologies into Cambodia markets in order to move the production towards #SustainableIntensification.
HoKa – Hospitality Kampuchea, a Hospitality Training Model for Low-skilled Workers: HoKa is the first in-house training program designed within the Cambodian Qualification Framework (CQF) for low-skilled workers, to be offered in the tourism industry. By aligning with the national framework, HoKa allows workers who are generally left out of the education system, to be integrated in the CQF and move ahead in their career pathways.
HUSO – Hub & Spoke, a Model for Agriculture Knowledge Transfer: HUSO model addresses the critical need for extension services in Cambodia’s agriculture sector. This does by working with the private sector to assist farmers with getting access to appropriate technologies and techniques. HUSO also becomes a marketing strategy for the private sector which helps to promote the use of their technologies and techniques through extension services arranged in a hub and spoke structure.
InGuider – An Internship Model for University: InGuider (Internship Guider) is a four-stage guideline in preparing and running a well-structured internship program for universities in Cambodia. This video features the experience of Swisscontact’s Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP), in collaboration with Faculty of Agricultural Engineering (FAE) of Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), in implementing the InGuider model in Cambodia.
4S – a Model for Agriculture Technology Promotion: Swisscontact’s 4S Go-To-Market model is born out of the need for a marketing strategy which would help the private sector target farmers better with the right kind of agriculture technologies. 4S is primarily used in the beginning stages of product promotion in any new market. 4S consists of four key steps which uses farmer segmentation and target marketing to effectively promote agriculture technologies. #mechanization #agriculturetechnology
Experience with Cambodia’s Tourism Working Group in Kampot: Swisscontact promoted public-private partnerships in Kampot, one of the key tourist destinations in Cambodia. With the support of the Mekong Inclusive Growth and Innovation Programme (MIGIP), a Tourism Working Group (TWG) was established by the Kampot Provincial Department of Tourism (PDOT). The TWG worked to coordinate a variety of functions related to the tourist destination including marketing, skills development, product development, community development, and research and data collection. The secretariat of TWG was housed within the PDOT.