Start Date: 20th October 2025

End Date: 16th February 2026

Daily Net Rate: Cost competitive financial proposal QCBS.

Reports To: SOGE

Additional Comments: Works closely with SNV DFCD team

Consultancy Objective (max 300 words):

The overall objective of this activity is to get a clear understanding of the strategic opportunities for private sector actors to contribute to improved delivery of irrigation to farmers in Cambodia.

An estimated 50% of Cambodia’s 2,500 discrete irrigation schemes are assessed to not be fully functional. Although the context and challenges of irrigation systems varies from scheme to scheme, farmers in these schemes face at best only irregular or unreliable access to irrigation water in the dry season (regular/reliable in wet season), or have to rely exclusively on rainfall.

In 2021 SOGE opened its first of five ‘company-owned company-operated’ schemes, demonstrating an innovative business model to operate and rehabilitate existing irrigation schemes and increase access to irrigation for previously underserved farmers. Under this model SOGE owns, maintains and operates the irrigation water supply system. They are awarded the rights by local authorities to charge groups of farmers water-services fees - a set-up that closely mirrors the (diesel-powered) status quo and institutional architecture in rural areas. SOGE has already identified 34 further irrigation schemes totaling over 80,000 hectares where there is technical and commercial feasibility to expand. It is expected that a significant proportion of the 50% dysfunctional irrigation schemes in the country may be commercially viable to operate by the private sector.

Expanding national irrigation capacity will boost production by enabling a second or even third rice crop each year. Increasing rice output for export—particularly fragrant rice, to meet rising global demand—is a national strategic priority for Cambodia.

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