The participants of a two-day training session titled “Communication4Change”, which concluded on November 29. FAO
A two-day training session titled “Communication4Change” concluded on November 29, equipping 35 sub-national level government officials with critical communication skills to support Cambodia’s climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries initiatives.
Held at the General Directorate of Agriculture in Phnom Penh, the programme was supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Environment and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), according to a November 29 FAO press release.
The training, conducted under the “Promoting Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Rice-Based Communities in the Tonle Sap Region” (PCRL) and “Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Cambodia’s Coastal Fishery Dependent Communities (CamAdapt)” projects, aimed to enhance participants’ storytelling, visual communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities, it explained.
It highlighted that the sessions covered strategic communication, smartphone-based photography, videography and human-interest storytelling techniques, all tailored to support the promotion and implementation of the projects’ objectives.
The release noted that the government has prioritised strengthening agriculture and fisheries to address poverty, improve food security and increase resilience against climate change. Two national policy programmes have been launched to expand agricultural production, improve market access, stabilise prices and enhance ecosystem resilience for coastal fishery-dependent communities. Agricultural technical officers are also being deployed nationwide to support these efforts.
The PCRL project focuses on reducing climate vulnerabilities for rice-based communities in the Tonle Sap region through ecosystem-based and market-driven approaches, while the CamAdapt project targets the resilience of the country’s coastal fishing communities, which face heightened risks from climate change. Both initiatives align with the country’s broader vision for sustainable development and climate resilience.
The FAO described the initiative as “Representing a significant step in strengthening national capacities to promote these projects and share impactful stories that inspire collaboration and action”.
In addition, by equipping stakeholders with tools to effectively communicate project goals, the training contributes to the country’s efforts to foster climate-resilient livelihoods and empower vulnerable communities in the face of growing climate challenges, it added.
