Abstract/Summary

This study assesses the impact of participation in farmer organisations (FOs) on the food security of rural households in Cambodia. The study was started in November 2010 and completed in June 2012. The study set out to: (1) examine the roles, operations and challenges of FOs in improving household food security; (2) analyse the household characteristics that determine participation in FOs; (3) assess the impact of FOs on the food security and livelihoods of poor rural people; and (4) provide recommendations for changes in the legal and regulatory framework for FOs. Due to their predominance in Cambodia, the study concentrates on three FO types: farmer group (FG)–informal with 10-30 members; farmer association (FA)–more than 30 members, either informal or formal if registered at the Ministry of Interior; and agricultural cooperative (AC)–business-oriented, registered at the Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA) and generally have more than 30 members. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods. To examine the roles and operation of FOs and their challenges, qualitative information was gathered from focus group discussions with FO members and key informant interviews with stakeholders in the four provinces of Kampot, Kampong Thom, Battambang and Svay Rieng, which have a high density of operating FOs. The quantitative approach applied propensity score matching1 to assess the impact of FO participation on food security, using the agricultural productivity (value of production and profit) of rice and livestock as proxies. Cross-sectional survey data was collected on approximately 330 FO member households, randomly selected from the three FO sub-sectors FG, FA and AC in the proportion of 50:30:20 percent, and 369 non-member households selected from the same villages in the selected communes using systematic random sampling to form the control group.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64202/wp.95.201407