The Prek Por Pumping Station in Kampong Cham province’s Srei Santhor district benefits nearly 160,000 residents. Supplied
Nearly 160,000 residents in Prek Por commune in Kampong Cham province’s Srei Santhor district have seen their livelihoods transformed thanks to the Prek Por Pumping Station.
Funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project has provided consistent irrigation, enabling farmers to triple their annual rice production and significantly boost agricultural output in the region.
Chan Sinath, secretary of state at the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, explained that the station was developed following meticulous studies in collaboration with ADB experts and other stakeholders.
He said that the station represents a vital partnership between ADB, the water resource and finance ministries and other development partners.
During a field visit led by ADB country director Jyotsana Varma on December 11, Sinath highlighted the project's impact, noting that it provides irrigation to approximately 159,000 residents.
“Previously, water shortages began in December, and disputes over access were frequent. Farmers could only cultivate 200 to 300 hectares annually. Now, with the irrigation system, 8,000 hectares can be irrigated, enabling multiple crops per year. The system also supports clean water supply through mixed-use facilities,” he said.
The pumping station, at a cost of $30 million, is one of four irrigation systems established under ADB’s Improving Agricultural Irrigation Project (IAIP). Supplied
Sinath noted that the station’s seven engines, of which only two are currently in use, supply sufficient water for agricultural and domestic needs. The irrigation system allows farmers to harvest rice three times a year, with yields reaching up to five tonnes per hectare.
Local farmer Em Srey Channa shared how the system has transformed her livelihood.
“Before, we could only grow rice once a year, relying on rainfall. Now, we can cultivate three times annually. Transporting rice along the canals and dikes has also become much easier. Our production has increased from three to four tonnes per hectare to over five. Farming is now almost 100 per cent efficient,” she said.
The pumping station, at a cost of $30 million, is one of four irrigation systems established under ADB’s Improving Agricultural Irrigation Project (IAIP). The initiative aims to modernise the country’s agricultural sector, enhance resilience to climate change and promote crop diversification.
An irrigation canal in Kampong Cham province. Supplied
The IAIP is funded with $119.16 million, comprising $117 million in loans and $2.16 million in grants from ADB. The project spans four provinces: Prek Por in Kampong Cham, Kamping Pouy in Battambang, Stung Chinit South in Kampong Thom and Canal No. 15 in Takeo.
Running from December 2019 to June 2025, the project is expected to irrigate 43,500 hectares of farmland, benefiting approximately 290,000 people, half of whom are women. It aims to boost agricultural productivity, reduce rural poverty and contribute to Cambodia’s overall economic growth.
