Workshop on Rice Value Chain in Kompot

On 7 May 2010, with funding support from Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CEDAC in collaboration with WOSO, FLD, and PNKS which are the partner NGOs of CRS in implementing the project Civil Society and Pro-Poor Market (CSPPM) organized a workshop on Rice Value Chain Study in Kompot and Kompot Speu Province. The purpose of the workshop was to present the result of rice value chain study in Kompot and Kompong Speu Provinces. It is to notice that the study was conducted by representatives of the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in both provinces. Totally, 72 participants (20 women) composed of government officials, CBO representatives, farmer representatives, students…participated in the workshop.

First of all, Mr. Eric Vandenbrink from CRS and Mr. Keum Veasna from Asia Foundation provided the opening speech of the workshop. At the beginning of the presentation, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors presented the methodology of the study to the participants in order to make the participants understand about the rational background, objectives and how to conduct this study. The CBO representatives then presented the result of the study on rice value chain to the participants in each studied province.  CEDAC’s staff Mr. Chhong Sophal conducted final presentation on the result of the study.



Finally, CEDAC President Dr. Yang Saing Koma conducted a synthesis on the result of the study by discussing the result of the study with the participants in plenary. Several Questions were developed and discussed among the participants in order to come up with strategic ideas for promoting rice value chain in the near future.
In conclusion, this workshop provided more knowledge to the participants and they are strongly interested to the topics. It is to notice that the district authorities are strongly interested in setting up rice farmer producer groups or community based rice mills in their respective districts in order to promote the rice market.

Train Community Leaders to be Market Researcher

On February 05, 2010, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors facilitated a meeting with the participation of CBO representatives at Tramkak district, Takeo province on paddy value chain study. The participants came from different areas, included Kompot and Kompong Speu province. The participants shared their activities and results during the last whole month concerning to data collection through individual interview and group discussion with key respondents in the villages studied. During the meeting, we summed up the progress of data collection being conducted by the CBO representatives. So far, they have completed the data collection. We will go on with data entry and reporting.

Mr. Vatannak, CRS, was in the meeting and discussed with the participants to organize 3 training sessions to the same participants, the training will be start in March, May and July. The topics focus on Practical Management and Leadership, Training and Facilitation Skill, and Business Plan Preparation. He wanted the CBOs to raise the proposals for submission to CRS for covering the expenses of those training sessions.
It is expected that the first draft report of this paddy value chain will be done in February, around 22-23 Feb. The first draft report will be distributed to the CBOs in order to ask them for comment so that we can finalize the report ultimately. With support from CRS, it is expected that a presentation workshop will be organize to show the result of this study. Some relevant NGOs and government officials will be invited to join the workshop.

The meeting was ended with fruitful results, the participants mentioned that they have improved their understanding on general concept of paddy value chain. They knew how to conduct market study by themselves next time, etc.