Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation Cham Prasidh. INDUSTRY MINISTRY VIA FACEBOOK
The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation on October 11 launched the Cambodia Business Incubation for Food Product Development (CBI-Food) programme, aimed to foster and strengthen quality, high-capacity, creative, entrepreneurial and innovative human resource development, and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
Initiated by the ministry, CBI-Food was developed in collaboration with German international development organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and universities.
Presiding over CBI-Food’s launch ceremony via video link, industry minister Cham Prasidh said programme activities would be organised with the support of public and private organisations, including business associations.
He said the government has taken great care to stabilise national economic growth and ensure the sustainable development of the country, especially during the Covid-19 crisis, which has brought great devastation for human life and the economy.
“Based on this context, the Royal Government has shored up local businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises [SME] as a priority sector that could help restore the national economic situation to health, by identifying a number of products deemed strategic goods by the government, to fulfil the daily needs of the people.
“All of these products would require consideration of quality and safety for consumers, hence this CBI-Food programme is very important to prop up and empower young entrepreneurs in Cambodia, so that they have a shot at demonstrating their capabilities, creativity, and the development of high-quality and innovative food products that are in line with Cambodian and international standards,” Prasidh said.
Federation of Associations for Small and Medium Enterprises of Cambodia (Fasmec) president Te Taingpor highlighted the hard reality that a significant portion of SMEs in the Kingdom lack the necessary know-how and merely churn out wares that are “not very highly innovative”.
But an even greater proportion of enterprises strive to strengthen their capabilities and turn out more innovative goods, he observed, voicing optimism for CBI-Food.
He said more young and women entrepreneurs are starting new businesses, bending over backwards to secure technical and other forms of assistance and enter into partnerships with government ministries and departments, as well as associations, coalitions and other NGOs to ensure that their products are of higher quality and get ample support.
