Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion (DACP), Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)

The Law on Agricultural Cooperatives (AC) was established in Cambodia in 2013 to provide a clear legal framework for the establishment, governance, and development of ACs across the country. Ultimately, the law was adopted to support farmers in organizing themselves into producer groups in order to improve agricultural production, strengthen collective marketing, and enhance access to inputs, credit, and technical services. The law aims to promote democratic governance, transparency, and accountability within farmer organizations, thereby contributing to rural development and poverty reduction.

The implementation of the law is led by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), which is responsible for cooperative promotion and supervision. Since its adoption, the law has facilitated the establishment of 1,476 ACs, comprising a total of 193,889 members (including 114,030 women). These ACs were registered by Provincial Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (PDAFFs) with the total capital of approximately USD 27 million. Furthermore, there are 22 Unions of Agricultural Cooperatives (UAC) and one Cambodian Agricultural Cooperative Alliance (CACA). ACs have expanded nationwide, improving farmers’ access to credit, inputs, and stable markets while enhancing satisfaction, strengthening buyer linkages, and reducing reliance on informal lenders for greater income stability.

The Sixth Priority Policy Program of the Royal Government of Cambodia, Seventh Legislature of the National Assembly, has prioritized the development of Modern Agricultural Communities (MACs) as a key strategy to strengthen institutional governance and productivity, reduce production costs, expand market opportunities, promote value-added processing, and improve access to finance.