Saturday, 18 July 2009

Finland donates $2,7 million to Cambodian poverty reduction

ScandAsia.Finland News

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced Wednesday that Cambodia will receive a US$3.45 million technical assistance grant from Finland and other donors aimed at boosting the skills and incomes of people living in and around the Tonle Sap basin. The money is to be used to help low-income groups in the area to diversify their vocational skills with the help of training programmes, demonstrations on modern farming techniques and Internet-based communication facilities.

"The technical assistance will help diversify and improve the incomes of small land holders, marginal farmers and poor households in the Tonle Sap basin by increasing their access to good agricultural practices, technologies and information," Giap Minh Bui, rural development economist in ADB's Southeast Asia Department, said in a statement released Wednesday.

The Finnish government is donating $2.7 million to the project. The money will be used in four provinces around the lake - Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Cham, Kampong Thom and Siem Reap. ADB has stated, that the project will include a pilot communication project using Internet linked e-kiosks to provide up-to-date information on agricultural practices to be passed on to locals.

Created 2009-07-17

No comments: