SEED FUNDING JOINT PROGRAMMES
Cambodia
Transforming Cambodia’s food systems to become more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient
PROJECT TITLE | Transforming Cambodia’s food systems to become more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient |
| Context | Cambodia’s National Pathway is the outcome of an extensive consultation process, involving more than 2,000 people throughout thirty dialogues, which identifies four priority areas, namely healthy diets for all, empowerment of youth, women and vulnerable groups, resilient livelihoods and food systems, inclusive governance. Acknowledging the risks posed by climate change to hard won development gains and as a co-founder of the Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation, Cambodia is prioritizing the integration of climate change and food systems transformation, building coherence across the agendas. The Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, the government agency coordinating food security and nutrition initiatives in Cambodia, is leading collaborative efforts to translate national aspirations into concrete action. |
| PUNOs | FAO, WFP, UNICEF |
| Contribution to SDGs | SDG 2 Zero Hunger |
| Contribution to other SDG transitions | Climate, biodiversity, pollution |
| Duration | August 2024 – July 2025 |
| Expected financial leverage | $3 million |
| Alignment with SG Call to Action | Policy integration; Food systems governance; Inclusive and participatory design; Private sector engagement |
| Outcomes | The Joint Programme fosters an enabling environment for food systems transformation by enhancing national capacities and policy frameworks, identifying opportunities to unlock financial streams, and strengthening advocacy efforts for food systems transformation. The JP provides crucial support to the alignment of the climate and food agendas, accelerating progress towards resilient, sustainable and inclusive food systems. |
| Partners | Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) will be the main government counterpart and will coordinate the government activities in conjunction with other key Ministries, including:
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Empowering UN teams to transform food systems
The Food Systems Thinking Guide for UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams is now available online. Developed under the UN Food Systems Task Force, this guide offers a digital tool with practical examples to advance food systems transformation through a systems approach. The guide aims at supporting UN coordination on food systems transformation efforts at country level and integrating food systems into strategic planning, advocacy and policy work.
Given its potential impact on agriculture, health, economies and the environment, food systems transformation is one of the key transitions (or transformative entry points) that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Harnessing the transformative potential of sustainable food systems is essential to achieving food security and nutrition for present and future generations, while concurrently addressing critical global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity and natural resource degradation, rural poverty and economic shocks. Transforming food systems, therefore, requires a systems approach that connects components and outcomes of agrifood systems and interrelated systems to achieve sustained change across multiple sustainability dimensions, transforming the way people interact with each other and with the planet.
This guide was created as a concerted effort of the UN Food Systems Task Force’s Working Group on Supporting UN Country Team Coordination and Joint Programming and reflects inputs from 13 UN agencies and bodies, highlighting the power of collaboration.
UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams are encouraged to pilot the food systems thinking guide in their day-to-day work on food systems transformation and provide feedback through this survey to ensure it evolves effectively to meet their needs. This first release of the thinking guide is intended as a working draft that will be piloted in 2025, with future updates based on feedback gathered from the experiences at country level.
Access the Food Systems Thinking Guide
