In Cambodia's vast green landscapes, a silent transformation is taking root. The Farmers Livelihood Improvement Association (FLIA) in Kampong Rotes commune in Kampong Thom province’s Stung Sen district stands as a symbol of progress for rural areas. 

At its helm is Morn Leakena, once a regular housewife, now the association’s director. Her journey, mirrored by many Cambodian women, is reshaping destinies. 

Leakena’s leadership has empowered rural lives, especially those of women, turning agricultural challenges into opportunities for growth. 

This narrative of empowerment unfolds in Cambodia’s agricultural heartlands, showcasing the resilience and potential inherent in these communities, driven by dedicated leadership.

Elected through a robust process spanning seven provinces, Leakena assumes a crucial role in FLIA, leading the association for a three-year term. 

Ny Kimsan, deputy head of the Secretariat of the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD), notes Leakena’s remarkable journey from being an IDPoor card holder to now leading a national-level association.

“She has evolved from a listener to an active speaker, passionately participating in community activities. Her leadership in an association with stringent election procedures is particularly commendable,” Kimsan says.

FLIA, in line with gender guidelines established by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has implemented a structured approach. The formation of Livelihood Improvement Groups (LIGs) stands out as a key strategy, aiming to guarantee the active involvement of women, with a set target of at least 30 per cent.

This initiative reflects FLIA’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and empowerment within its community-based programmes.

According to t ADB Q3 2023 report, women make up a significant 59% of the 1,906 LIG committee members, as pointed out by ADB country director Jyotsana Varma. 

Varma notes the six women serving on the seven-member board of FLIA, and the elected board director also being a woman.

“Of the 270 FLIA representatives in targeted communes, 111, or 41 per cent, are women,” she says.

Leakena says that among over 45,000 members, over 31,000 are women. Certain families include widows and women actively participating, borrowing money, while men work elsewhere.

Mission expansion

With a mission across seven provinces, the board of directors is chosen from LIG members, utilising their expertise at commune, district and provincial levels. 

FLIA, founded by 1,906 LIG members, has 45,733 total members and is supported by the Tonle Sap Poverty Reduction and Smallholder Development Project – Additional Financing (TSSD-AF) phases I & II.

The project is funded by the ADB, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – an international financial institution and a specialised UN agency working to address poverty in developing countries – and the Cambodian government.

Leakena envisions the association as farmer-owned, focused on livelihoods, economic growth and social welfare. 

She underscores the need to bolster LIGs, offering management and productivity services to empower members in livelihoods and professional skill development.

To benefit local LIG members, projects are implemented to boost income and enhance living standards, fostering sustainable socio-economic development, she explains.

In the upcoming five-year plan until 2028, FLIA is committed to providing substantial benefits to its members.

“The goals involve reducing poverty by decreasing current IDPoor cardholders from 45 per cent to 20 per cent through strengthening savings groups, empowerment initiatives and expanding business opportunities for teams,” Leakena says.

The association also seeks to expand its partnerships. Additionally, there’s a dedication to boosting the association’s capital from the current $17.20 million to $25 million through encouraging savings.

FLIA plays a vital role in supporting farmers in reducing poverty, maintaining stability, ensuring long-term management and using capital efficiently, and the working capital of the association has increased as planned.

“I urge all stakeholders to work together, support and strengthen the capacity of the association, making it a valuable partner in Cambodia’s development,” she says.

Capacity building

Varma explains that LIG members receive backing with revolving funds of $240 each. They also benefit from capacity building through mentoring and hands-on training in agricultural techniques, ensuring effective use of the provided funds and the preparation of business plans.

“FLIA is adopting a similar approach. The majority of the loans are used for rice farming, chicken raising and vegetable cultivation,” Varma says.

“The loan sizes offered depend on the business plans of borrowing members, ranging from $300 to $500,” she explains.

The TSSD Phase I budget was $51.309 million, with contributions from ADB , IFAD, and the governments of Finland and Cambodia. The TSSD Phase II budget is $66 million, with funding sourced from ADB, IFAD and the government.

Expanding from five provinces in TSSD Phase I to seven provinces in Phase II, beneficiary households increased from 430,000 to 650,000, according to Varma. 

The TSSD projects address rural infrastructure needs outlined in commune development and investment plans. Throughout the implementation, 136 rural roads covering 466.6km and 31 canals were constructed, enhancing disaster resilience.

“The restored canals now irrigate 6,868ha of paddy fields, enabling farmers to harvest two crops annually. This ensures sustainable rice seed production and facilitates crop diversification beyond rice,” Varma says.

Upgraded roads not only save time but also introduce new services and opportunities to communities, designed to withstand extreme climate events and serve as disaster risk reduction. 

FLIA offers diverse services, conducting monthly audits for weaker LIGs and bi-monthly audits for stronger groups, managing tasks like loan contracts. 

They update member data, monitor business plans, encourage group bank deposits and compile reports for representatives to enhance daily life. 

Additionally, FLIA provides training and capacity building for commune-level representatives, team leaders and members, actively supporting monthly group meetings and collaborating on reports for improvement. 

Members engage in forming and training LIGs, receiving working capital and eventually establishing self-governing associations.

Commune support

“The NCDD promotes and encourages communes and districts to offer support and training for members of LIGs,” Leakena says.

She notes that the NCDD aids in business planning, rural road construction, transportation of agricultural products and the building of canals for farming. 

She also highlights the contribution of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, stating their commitment to activities supporting agricultural development, including efforts to develop high-quality rice varieties and impart knowledge on techniques to increase harvest yield.

“The ministry takes a pivotal role in offering training that cover aspects like animal husbandry, vegetable cultivation and marketing strategies. By actively promoting and sharing diverse agricultural techniques, it aims to enhance overall productivity,” she says.

The ministry aids farmers in identifying market opportunities and building valuable relationships for their products.

Financial growth

FLIA’s capital has grown by $5.86 million, reaching $17.20 million in 2023 from $11.32 million in 2017, marking a 51.9 per cent increase.

The association also saw a notable 34 per cent reduction in members bearing IDPoor cards, decreasing from 79 per cent in March 2017 to 45per cent in March 2023.

These achievements underscore FLIA’s significant financial growth and its impactful efforts to improve the economic status of its members.

“To empower our FLIA members, we’ve engaged 309 village leaders, 136 of them women. Our focus is on savings, capacity building, group business expansion and strengthening partnerships,” Leakena says.

Furthermore, 44 commune leaders, with 20 women among them, along with 65 other leaders, teachers, staff and contracted officers, contribute to these efforts.