Prepared by Sok Chanraksmey – DPA

ALiSEA Cambodia organized 2^nd ALiSEA Policy Dialogue Workshop which aimed to present the previous results of the policy workshop and update the current ALiSEA network, operation in policy engagement, review and share the results of ALiSEA policy dialogues, policy participation and meetings with policy makers and key stakeholders to discuss the policy priority to take a further action. Next, ALiSEA wishes to establish policy working group and develop policy brief for presentation to the policy makers and relevant stakeholders. This event organized on December 13, 2024 at the Cambodiana Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with 41 attendees including 10 women, from ALiSEA members, partners, and government.

In this workshop, H.E. Dr. Sok Silo, Secretary General of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) addressed the commitment of the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to continually enhance cooperation with partners in strengthening food systems and mitigating environmental impacts during the opening ceremony. He mentioned that collaboration under the ALiSEA umbrella is a crucial element in developing food systems and promoting agroecology in Cambodia to work together among the multi stakeholders to tackle the impact of climate change.

The presentations were shared from the various key players in the event as following: 

1. Overview ALiSEA network national and regional
2. Briefing about the first ALiSEA policy dialogue workshop
3. CASIC Platform 
4. Briefing of the TAPE findings
5. Results of desk review and inputs collected from sub-national policy workshop on existing policies/papers that contribute to AE

Additionally, there was a form of Policy working group for facilitating further action on sharing elements of agroecology policy and 14 (Fourteen) people expressed their interests to join. 

Lastly, the workshop also designed with a group discussion among members in policy dialogue, there are some areas which the groups discussed needs of the policy actions as follow:

1. Capacity building: 

• • Integrated AE to Commune Investment Plan: Communes have budget to support AE at the communal level, Agriculture commune officers help to promote AE at the communal level, Farmers and ACs are targeted to involve and promote AE in commune level. 

1. • Develop technical documents/manuals for farmers
   • Use existing platforms to share knowledge and experiences on AE practices and other knowledge management tools.  
2. Market linkage: 
   • Integrate the AE standards to promote AE products
   • Promote local markets for local and AE products through production planning and value chain approaches 
3. Collaborate with multi-stakeholders in the public, private and people’s organisations partnership (PPPP) model to recognize the AE products.
4. Studies/Researches
5. Pesticide and fertilizer transition toward conventional AE
6. Access to Finance: Accessible for AE producers to the investment and financial products including, green loan with low interest rate for farmers who have no enough capital to apply agroecology
7. Insurance to support AE farmers
8. To function the implementation of the existing policies on sanitary and phytosanitary.
9. Enable farmers to access to AE products certification.
10. Integrate AE in the University curriculum program.
11. Integrate AE in the Primary and/ or secondary school program.
12. Strengthen collection center to collect AE produces from farmer member