Agriculture Services Programme for an Inclusive Rural Economy and Agricultural Trade

ASPIRE in Brief

ASPIRE In Brief

  • ASPIRE is a programme of the Royal Government of Cambodia, supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
  • MAFF is the Lead Programme Agency joined by SNEC in implementing Component 1 and by NCDDs in implementing Component 4.
  • ASPIRE is led by a Programme Director, supported by ASPIRE Secretariat Support Team Manager and by 2 Programme Managers responsible for Extension, Technology and Research and Programme Budgeting respectively, and one Programme Manager from NCDDs.
  • The Programme was designed to run for 7 years, from 2015-2021, however, in light of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the programme has been extended to 2023.
  • Development Goal: Reduced poverty and increased resilience of poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers in Cambodia.
  • Programme Development Objective: Enhanced Cambodian model of agriculture services is demonstrated as effective for assisting a diversity of smallholder farmers to contribute to broad-based economic growth through profitable and resilient farm businesses.
  • Programme Components:
  • Evidence-Based Policy Development
  • Capacity Development for Extension Services
  • Improved Extension Services and (4) Infra structure Supporting Climate Resilient Agriculture.
  • Outcome 1: A national investment programme that can be supported by multiple donors is designed to implement an updated extension policy that provides smallholder farmers with access to quality information services.
  • Outcome 2: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has institutional and human resources capacity to manage an effective, demand-driven system linking researchers and knowledge-based agencies to extension agents in public sector, private sector and civil society and to farmers.
  • Outcome 3: At least 144,000 smallholders have improved and resilient farm businesses as a result of integrated, demand-led extension services and investment in climate resilient infrastructure.
  • Targeted Areas: Countrywide, covering all 24 provinces of Cambodia.
  • ASPIRE Extension Instruments: ASPIRE deploys 6 core extension delivery instruments: Contract Out, Public Private Partnership (PPP), Support to Agriculture Cooperatives/Farmer Organizations (AC/FO), Farmer to Farmer (F2) and Direct Public Extension Service (DPES)
  • ASPIRE 6 Principles: Link to Market, Business Team Work, Multi-Stakeholder Platform, Food Safety, Climate Resilience and ICT CHAMKA App
  • ASPIRE has a budget of USD$86,613,350, (original and additional financing).