A $240 Million Effort Will Modernize Irrigation, Prevent Floods, and Secure Food for Over Half a Million People.
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia – Cambodia has officially kicked off a major new initiative called the CAISAR Project (Climate Adaptive Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture for Resilience). The goal is simple: to make sure rural communities can handle extreme weather—like heavy floods and long droughts—and improve the lives of people who are most affected by climate change.
The launch ceremony took place today, December 8, 2025, led by H.E. Thor Chetha, the Minister of Water Resources, alongside major international partners: the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Working Together for Water Security
A $240 Million Plan for Four Provinces
The CAISAR Project is backed by a total investment of $240 million from the international partners. This money will be used to modernize important irrigation systems in four key provinces around the Tonle Sap lake: Kandal, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chhnang, and Pursat.
Minister Thor Chetha explained that this project is a core commitment of the Cambodian government, aligning with Prime Minister Hun Manet’s vision to prioritize “Water” as one of the five essential needs (People, Roads, Water, Electricity, and Technology).
Why This Project is Important
The CAISAR Project directly tackles climate change threats that risk Cambodia’s water supply and farm productivity.
- Fixing Floods and Droughts: The project will help Cambodia quickly manage both too much water (floods) and too little water (droughts). The Ministry confirmed the system has already helped manage recent flooding in the four provinces.
- Helping Farmers: The main purpose is to strengthen the ability of small-scale farmers to adapt to climate change. This means making sure that people in the project areas have water all year round for drinking and watering their crops.
- Huge Benefit: The effort is set to directly benefit over 560,000 rural residents and aims to help a total of 1.4 million people in the region.
The international partners emphasized their support, with IFAD stating the project is a significant step toward creating climate-resilient infrastructure for Cambodia’s agriculture sector.
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