AKP Phnom Penh, March 19, 2025 --

Ireland’s Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, H.E. Noel Grealish TD, announced on Mar. 19 a funding of €800,000 (approximately US$870,000) in 2025 for a climate programme to be implemented by Oxfam in Cambodia.

The announcement was made in a ceremony attended by Mr. Sethi Pheng, Deputy Provincial Governor of Battambang, Ms. Sophoan Phean, Oxfam National Director, and relevant officials and local farmers.

This programme will support rural communities in northern Cambodia with climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, climate resilience, and rural development. The programme team will also work closely with the Royal Government of Cambodia to develop and enhance climate policies.

H.E. Noel Grealish TD, who is visiting Cambodia this week to mark St. Patrick’s Day, made the funding announcement at the launch of an Irish-funded solar irrigation project in Wattamin commune, aimed at improving agricultural productivity and climate resilience for rural farmers in Cambodia.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, H.E. Noel Grealish TD said that Ireland has prioritised the use of technology and innovation to add value, build competitiveness and to address key challenges such as environmental sustainability. Similarly, in Cambodia, smallholder farmers are the backbone of the agricultural sector and are central to its future. This solar project is a perfect example of an investment in technology - but it is also an investment in Cambodian farmers and in the future of sustainable agriculture.

“As part of Ireland’s growing engagement in Cambodia, we are delighted to have increased our funding for programmes such as the one we have launched today, and to seek new opportunities to work together in rural development, sustainable agriculture and tackling climate change,” he said.

Mr. Sethi Pheng thanked Ireland for its support of the project, stressing that “Battambang is known widely as the rice bowl of Cambodia and access to reliable irrigation is critical for our farmers. This solar irrigation project not only increases agricultural productivity but also supports our province’s efforts in adopting greener, more sustainable practices,” he said.

For her part, Ms. Sophoan Phean stated, “through this programme, we are working to address climate change in some of the poorest regions in Cambodia. The collaboration with Ireland, with the local Government, with our partners, and with the community here in Battambang underscores the importance of working together on climate action and delivering sustainable development in Cambodia.”

Minister of State H.E. Noel Grealish TD’s itinerary also included meetings with his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and with academics at the Royal University of Agriculture to discuss the potential for further co-operation between Ireland and Cambodia in the sphere of agriculture.

By Chea Vannak