(Phnom Penh): As global leaders convened at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) highlighted Cambodia’s impressive progress in agricultural trade and rural development, drawing on results from IFAD-financed programmes supporting rural smallholder farmers and women to access high-value export markets.

IFAD-financed programmes are enabling farmers’ organizations to reach high-value export markets by strengthening product quality and consistency.

Cambodian pepper supported under ASPIRE-AT was presented during Davos as a flagship example of this progress. Pepper cooperatives in Tboung Khmum province now meet international standards and sell to a Cambodian exporter supplying the German market, resulting in higher and more stable incomes for farmers.

“ASPIRE-AT builds directly on the results achieved under ASPIRE, transforming stronger farmer organisations, improved resilience, and effective extension services and systems into concrete opportunities for agricultural domestic and export trade,” said H.E. Dr Meas Pyseth, ASPIRE-AT Project Director. “This is integrating rural smallholder farmers, women, and youth transition towards sustainable prosperity, market-oriented livelihoods.”

These advances build on impressive results under the Agriculture Services Programme for Innovation, Resilience and Extension (ASPIRE), where farmers recorded average income increases of 56percent and market access improvements of 49percent. ASPIRE-AT is now scaling up this success, linking more agricultural cooperatives to higher-value domestic and international buyers.

Since 2017, ASPIRE laid the foundations for resilient, market-oriented agricultural services through farmer organisations, climate-smart and demand-driven extension, and business clusters. ASPIRE-AT takes this further by strengthening the rural economy and agricultural trade, with a focus on priority commodities such as pepper, cashew, chicken, and vegetables.

“ASPIRE-AT places stronger emphasis on export-oriented growth,” said Frew Behabtu, IFAD Country Director for Cambodia. “The programme supports agricultural cooperatives to become more modern and market-ready, moving beyond production to value chains, market linkages and access to global buyers”.

Supported by IFAD in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia, the European Union and the European Investment Bank, ASPIRE-AT continues to strengthen value chains and expand trade opportunities, while ensuring inclusive and resilient growth.

As IFAD marks 30 years of partnership in Cambodia in 2026, the combined achievements of ASPIRE and ASPIRE-AT demonstrate how sustained investment in rural smallholder farmers and women is delivering measurable results, positioning Cambodia, and ASPIRE-AT-supported products such as Cambodian pepper (and cashew), as credible contributors to regional and global agricultural markets.
=FRESH NEWS