The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.
The European Union (EU) has established the Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector (CAPFISH). The overall objective of the CAPFISH Programme is to support the Royal Government of Cambodia in the achievement of its long-term vision of social and economic development, food security and poverty reduction as initiated with the Deep Fisheries Reforms and laid down in the National Strategic Development Plan. The Programme is structured in two components: one on aquaculture (i.e. CAPFISH-Aquaculture, adopted in 2016, EUR 30 million) and one on capture fisheries (i.e. CAPFISH-Capture Fisheries, adopted in 2019, EUR 92.7 million).
The stated objective of the capture fisheries component of the CAPFISH-Capture Fisheries Programme is for Cambodia to have sustainable capture fisheries, contributing to food security and poverty reduction. The CAPFISH-Capture Fisheries Programme comprises three interrelated pillars: 1. fisheries management and conservation; 2. post-harvest and trade; and 3. improvement and diversification of fisheries communities' livelihoods. The CAPFISH-Capture Fisheries Programme functions through direct Budgetary Support to the Royal Government of Cambodia Fisheries Administration (FiA) and by Complementary Support provided through the FAO (fisheries management and conservation pillar), UNIDO (post-harvest and trade pillar) and NGOs and Civil Society Organisations (improvement and diversification of fisheries communities' livelihoods pillar).