New hope for San Chhrech

San Chhrech is 51 years old and lives in Vealpring village in Kampong Province in Cambodia. She has two daughters who are both married and a son who still lives with her along with her husband Soum Kon. Together, they also look after her elderly mother.

San Chhrech is a smallholder farmer and her family’s main income is from growing rice and vegetables. Increasingly erratic weather in recent years had made it very difficult for her to predict her yield and to survive.

Like many farmers in her village, she and her family are extremely poor and work hard to make ends meet. As well as difficulties presented by climate change, San Chhrech lacked the knowledge and experience in farming and how to make the most of her land.

In 2019, San Chrech received training from SCIAF’s partner, Development and Partnership in Action (DPA) and learned vital techniques to help her to work better with her land and the changing climate. This training was made possible by funding form the UK government's Aid Match scheme.

During the training, she learnt to use a sprinkler and drip system, how to make compost, when to sow and harvest as well as account keeping. San Chrech also received practical support to ensure she could apply her learning effectively.

Since her training, she has been able to increase her crop production considerably and join a producers committee to sell any surplus at the market. The additional income has allowed San Chrech and her family to live a more stable and healthy life. She has also been able to save for the future and invest in her small business. Her family is now confident that they can earn more income from vegetable growing and have decided to expand their business.

Due to her success, through the programme, she received additional training to help support other struggling farmers in her village, passing vital knowledge and techniques on to her community. She is very happy with the help she has received and is proud to be able to help improve the lives of her neighbours who face the same difficulties she did.