Food Security
Overview
Cambodia is a least-developed, low-income food deficit country emerging from decades of civil conflict and economic stagnation. According to the new international poverty line set by World Bank – US$1.25-a-day, 42 percent of Cambodians live in extreme poverty. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) 2008 Global Hunger Index also lists Cambodia as one of the 33 countries having an “alarming or extremely alarming” level of hunger.
The unexpected rise of food and fuel prices in 2008 had a big impact on programme implementation. A recent impact study on soaring food prices concluded that 1.7 million Cambodians experienced food insecurity as an effect of high food prices, and that this number was expected to increase to 2.8 million, a fifth of the population, during the next "lean season". The study also found that 98 percent of the poor have incurred new debts and half of them cut back on food consumption or referred to inferior foods as a coping mechanism.
Since 2006, SSF has been assisted poorest and the most vulnerable people in Kampong Spue, one amoing three poorest province, in reducing hunger and under nutrition. SSF’s social safety net activities currently reach over one hundred and fifty of the most vulnerable people through home vegetable gardens, self-help group activities, stabilizing important social safety nets and reducing the impact of economic shocks on the poor. SSF will continue addressing the short to medium-term food security needs of over one million Cambodians in 2009.
Project goals:
The project goal is to improve food security, both in quantity and in quality, of community members in target areas of Kampong Speu province.
The project has four objectives:
1. Establish successful small scale vegetable gardens at the household level that produce fresh vegetables that are consumed by the family, and that excess is sold as a cash crop.
2. Increase the knowledge of nutrition and skills in food selection and preparation that will result in an increased nutritional status and health of the family and community.
3. Provide sufficient water within each target location to supply kitchen gardens and other domestic needs.
This project increases food security through an integrated approach that addresses availability and accessibility of food through increased production at the home level, and the utilization of food through training in food preparation and preservation. It also addresses the qualitative aspect by focusing on production and consumption of fresh vegetables to supplementthe diet of mainly cereals, meat and etc.