Grant Results Sheet: E-Project for Agricultural Development and Economic Empowerment (E-PADEE)

The E-Project for Agricultural Development and Economic Empowerment (E-PADEE) is a US$380,000 programme implemented in Cambodia with funding from the Republic of Korea in partnership with IFAD.

It was implemented in 2013-2016 under the broader framework of IFAD’s Project for Agricultural Development and Economic Empowerment (PADEE), which ran overall from 2012 to 2018, located in Kampot, Kandal, Prey Veng, Svay Rieng and Takeo provinces.

The Korean supplementary funds were used to enhance and improve the livelihoods of target beneficiaries and overall productivity of rice farming through the use of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) application known as the Agriculture Expert System technology (AES).

The overall goal was to accelerate access to agricultural technical information and advice by farmers benefitting from the PADEE-supported
Improved Group Revolving Fund Scheme (IGRFS). The main objectives were to enhance farmers' ability to control pests and diseases as well as
nutrient deficiencies, reduce production losses and increase farm productivity, while minimizing the need for technical assistance from specialists and extension staff.

The project also served as an innovative pilot to be implemented in target provinces of PADEE and to be replicated with any required adjustments, if successful.

At completion, the programme demonstrated potential for ICT-based services for smallholder farmers and identified challenges and constraints.

Scaling up would require adjustments to realize the commercial potential of ICT-based services, as well as to foster public-private partnerships responding to the needs of both subsistence and more advanced farmers. A follow-up phase of the programme will deal with this issue, in association with the IFADsupported Agriculture Services Programme for Innovation, Resilience and Extension (ASPIRE) being implemented in Cambodia.