Parliamentarians visit Cambodia - November 11-16, 2007

From 11-16 November 2007, a high level delegation of 13 parliamentarians from countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America visited Cambodia to witness on the ground Cambodia’s development efforts. The visit was hosted by the National Assembly of Cambodia and co-organized by the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the World Bank.

Parliamentarians were able to visit projects in agriculture, public health, education, and infrastructure. During the first two days, they visited CGIAR projects. They traveled to Siem Reap to look at the Poverty Reduction Option Validated in Drought Environment (PROVIDE) project, where IRRI works in partnership with Plan International and the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to increase rice yields with the adoption of proper rice farming practices so that children can go to school instead of working in the fields. The second day of the visit was to the O’Trang Irrigation Scheme in the province of Kampong Speu which is implemented with technical assistance of IWMI. Parliamentarians were able to interact directly with farmers, and evaluate results on the ground. Following this visit, the delegation went to Cel Agrid an NGO that partners with CIAT to produce cassava for pig feeding. The visit ended at CARDI, where a lively discussion took place on the importance of agriculture and agricultural research in Cambodia. Major points raised by parliamentarians included:

• A call to find new ways to link farmers to markets
• The creation of cooperatives among farmers, so that they are able to access markets more efficiently
• Development of vocational training programs in areas related to agriculture
• Technology transfer

Besides evaluating the impact of agricultural research on the ground, the visit showed how the CGIAR engages with different partners: from the immediate end-user "the farmers", to NGOs like CelAgrid, and NARS like CARDI.

The second part of the visit was devoted to Poverty Reduction Projects supported by the World Bank. Parliamentarians visited the Rokar Koh Health Center , and were able to see how public health services are working in rural areas. Following this visit, they met with provincial officials and projects advisors and the Commune Council of the Rokar Koh local commune, to discuss the benefits of decentralization and deconcentration, as part of a Commune Council and Rural Investment and Local Governance project financed by the World Bank. The Delegation also visited the Hun Sen Kg Phnom Secondary School, and the Khmer Youth and Social Development Organization, a non-profit organization which has received funding through the World Bank Small Grant Program to promote women as partners in promoting gender and good governance in the community of Kandal and Kampong Cham provinces. On the last field trip, delegates visited the Water Treatment Plant on the Chruoy Changvar Peninsular in Russei Keo district of Phnom Penh, one of the largest plants in the capital with a capacity of 65,000 cubic meters per day. The plant was financed by the World Bank and completed in 2003.

Finally, the field visit program included in-depth discussions with Cambodia’s major stakeholders, including government officials, delegations led by the speaker of the National Assembly and the head of Senate, local PNoWB members, civil society, representatives from the donor community and the private sector.

Related Links and Resources:

• PNoWB in Cambodia site
• Video of Parliamentarian field visit
• Press Release: The Parliamentary Network on the World Bank Field Visit to Cambodia 11- 16 November 2007
• Cambodia and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)
• Cambodia/World Bank Office Newsletter, December 2007
• Field Visit List of Participants