The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has established a new secretariat to help facilitate and strengthen the decentralisation of reform programmes.

The secretariat will help the ministry arrange action plans and plan annual budgets in support of decentralising the agricultural sector. The decision was signed by Minister Veng Sakhon.

Kuy Marindy, the ministry’s secretary of state was appointed director of the secretariat, while 18 other sub-directors and members were also appointed.

The secretariat will work with other ministries, institutions, development partners and civil society organisations in the private sector.

Ministry spokesman Srey Vuthy said it has never before had its own secretariat. The decision to create the secretariat was made by the ministry and the National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development (NCDD), he said.