CAVAC was the Australian Government’s first investment in a market systems approach in Cambodia. It ran from 2010 - 2015.
Its aim was to improve farmers’ incomes by increasing the value of agricultural production. CAVAC worked in three target provinces: Kampong Thom, Kampot, and Takeo.
It focused on two main areas:
- Agribusiness and information systems
Using a market systems approach to enhance farmers’ access to useful information and support. - Irrigation and water management
Improving the management of water on both irrigated and rain-fed farms so that crop yields could be increased.
The programme concluded that the socio-economic context of Cambodia is too complex and variable to apply pre-determined solutions. An adaptive management approach is required with continuous learning and adjustment of the portfolio and the activities, with several consequences:
1. The national staff are the biggest determining factor for success.
2. The programme culture and organisational structure needs to stimulate learning and development.
3. The programme’s management systems need to be able to respond quickly to signals that interventions
are not working.
4. A portfolio of markets and interventions needs to be managed for success.
CAVAC phase II began in 2016 and will continue until 2021. It's goals are:
- improved incomes for smallholder farmers
- increased trade in milled rice and other crops