KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES
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The meeting was held both physically and virtually at Sunway Hotel, Cambodia. Mr. Heng Chhun Hy delivered welcome remarks and the implementation proceedings of the project, project outputs, and the achievement of the project outcomes as well as providing advice to country partners. Dr. Muhammad Faheem, CABI ICM advisor, reflected on what has gone well and what is not going so well in terms of project implementation by country partners.
Dr. Mak Soeun, Deputy Director-General of the General Directorate of Agriculture, delivered an opening speech and he informed CABI project leaders about the history of peppercorn growing in Kampot as the Geographical indication (GI) in Cambodia. He added that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has been working hard in negotiation with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) for the exportation of Cambodian peppercorn to China.During the next session, all country partners provided progress reports (Cambodia, Vietnam, and Lao PDR). The reports provided information on the outputs, outcomes, next action plans, and challenges faced by each country. During the afternoon, all delegates from each country and CABI project leaders departed to Kampong Cham province which is next to the project location site.
On the second day, all delegates went to Memot District to hold discussion with farmers, visit peppercorn farms, and visit the Sela Pepper Company. During the discussion session, farmers requested to extend the project and conduct training on monitoring, record keeping, and fertilizer usage for different growth stages. After finishing the discussions, we went to visit a peppercorn farmer next to the sector. Dr. Chuba interviewed the farmer about peppercorn cultivation such as applying fertilizer (compost and chemical fertilizer), irrigation systems, weed management, and pre-and post-harvest management.After finishing the field visit, we went to Sela Pepper Company where the project leaders asked Ms. Sok Koem Seang, factory manager, and Mr. Thy Keb, operation manager, about the recording of the peppercorn producer, PGS checklist, CoP checklist, contract farming and regulation of PGS inter-group. As a result, Sela Pepper Company promised to send the recording of the peppercorn producer name/code with the peppercorn volumes from 2021 to 2022. However, the checklist and regulation sheet are still in the revision stage and requests have been made to GDA and project leaders for help in finalizing them.
On the last day, all delegates from CABI and country partners came back to have a meeting in the hotel where GDA presented on the benefits and challenges of engaging with farmers and the peppercorn company. Finally, Dr. Faheem summarized the inputs and outcomes of the project to STDF (Ms. Poala Michelutti): what outputs have been completed and those not yet completed and will require more time (extension of the project). Ms. Poala Michelutti agreed on the project extension but all country partners need to submit the next activities plan and the associated budget.
