AKP Kampong Thom, April 28, 2025 --

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers, H.E. Vongsey Vissoth, Head of the Royal Government Working Group for Kampong Thom province, officially inaugurated a significant project aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of the people in the province.

The launching ceremony took place on April 27, at the Chrolong Ponleu Meanchey Agricultural Community in Chrolong commune, Tang Kok district, Kampong Thom province.

The event saw the participation of Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Head of the Working Group for Improving Livelihoods in Kampong Thom Province, H.E. Pen Thirong; Governor of Kampong Thom province, H.E. Nuon Pharath; along with numerous officials, members of the Royal Government Working Group for the province, district, and commune levels, local authorities, and community members.

H.E. Pen Thirong presented a report outlining the framework and management mechanism of the project. He emphasised that this initiative is a direct result of the strategy put forth by the Royal Government Working Group for Kampong Thom, under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth with the primary goal of addressing the economic challenges faced by the local population.

The project will focus on small-scale agricultural production that yields quick results, requires minimal capital, and utilises simple agricultural techniques, complementing existing core agricultural activities. This includes vegetable cultivation, animal husbandry, and the production of organic fertilisers and natural pesticides. The four-year project (2025-2028) will provide matching grants to 75 registered and active agricultural communities across all nine districts and the provincial city of Kampong Thom.

Furthermore, over US$400,000, generously contributed by Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth and his working group, as well as other philanthropists, will support operational costs and agricultural technical training.

Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth expressed his strong appreciation and high regard for the dedicated efforts of the Working Group for Improving Livelihoods in Kampong Thom Province, as well as all grassroots working groups and local authorities.

He commended their collaborative spirit and commitment to addressing the livelihood issues of the people at the local level, highlighting the importance of creating business opportunities and expanding income-generating activities, particularly in small-scale agriculture with rapid returns.

The Deputy Prime Minister underscored the genuine nature of the project, stating that its launch was "real, not a performance." He urged community members to actively participate in technical training, to be diligent, and to maintain strong solidarity to ensure the project's success. Simultaneously, he called upon provincial, district, commune, and village authorities, commune agricultural officials, and relevant technical departments to actively coordinate and support the project's implementation with responsibility, and to collaboratively address any challenges that may arise.

This concerted effort aims to contribute to the successful implementation of the three-pronged approach championed by Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet: "increasing family income, ensuring food security, and guaranteeing food safety."

Moreover, Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth instructed the Working Group for Improving Livelihoods in Kampong Thom Province and relevant sectoral working groups to jointly address the challenges raised by the communities, such as technical needs, market access solutions, financial management, and regular monitoring of project implementation.

He also emphasised the need to establish and expand production groups to ensure community ownership and long-term sustainability.

Looking ahead, he announced plans for a competition among successful project-implementing communities within Kampong Thom province.

Deputy Prime Minister Vongsey Vissoth reiterated that the success of the working group and the Royal Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, lies in improving the living standards of the people, enhancing the quality of all public services, and ensuring security and public order at the grassroots level to provide peace and well-being to the citizens.

By K. Rithy Reak