A fish-farming project backed with more than $45 million from the European Union and the Cambodian government is ready to start investing in sustainable aquaculture, according to Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF).

The Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector (CaPFish) Aquaculture says it wants to help Cambodian fish farmers “overcome the constraints of the sector in the Kingdom and ensure more sustainable growth, resilience to climate change and inclusion”, while promoting the diversification and improvement of rural food security.

Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon said the scheme has attracted investment “amounting to about 35 million euros [approximately $45 million]. This includes a 5 million euro [nearly $6 million] co-financing from AFD [Agence Francaise de Development] to lend to the private sector in the form of project-based financing with the Fisheries Administration as the programme executor and AFD as the fund administrator on behalf of the EU”, he said.

The Cambodian government is contributing roughly $3.6 million to the project, which began in 2018 and will run until 2023. It is the first EU-funded project to agree to use the government’s Joint Standard Operating Procedures.

Cambodia signed the deal with the EU in November 2017 but, as of this month, the project has remained in its initial implementation phase. It is scheduled for completion in December 2023.

So far, the CaPFish project has completed a baseline survey, prepared an annual procurement plan to cover the four years from 2020 to 2023 and drawn up emergency aquaculture projects.

It will be implemented in 10 target provinces: Kampong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, Kandal and Takeo. Sixty-four farms are taking part in the project, including 887 frog farmers and 1,107 catfish farmers.

Cambodia’s fishing industry contributes as much as 18 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and employs nearly 3 million people –  a little less than one fifth of the population. Cambodians get more than three quarters of their animal protein from eating fish.

• Tags: aquaculture, European Union, MAFF