About SNV

SNV is a global development partner rooted in the African and Asian countries where we operate. With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, it is our mission to strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform the agri-food, energy, and water systems to enable sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

Background and objectives of assignment

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) supports private sector investment in climate adaptation and mitigation, with a focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Through its Origination Facility (OF), SNV identifies and supports high-impact businesses with technical assistance and catalytic grants. In Cambodia, DFCD’s priority themes include Agriculture, Forestry, Environmental Protection, and Water and Sanitation.

Within this framework, DFCD has already identified promising opportunities in soil health, agroforestry practices, solar irrigation, and regenerative agriculture. Building on lessons from neighboring countries such as Vietnam, where forestry value chains have evolved from fast growing timber plantations to processing and export of finished products, SNV is keen to explore how Cambodia can harness similar opportunities to replace dependence on illegal logging and natural forests for its timber supplies.

Cambodia is endowed with diverse forest ecosystems—evergreen, deciduous, mixed, coniferous, flooded, and mangrove forests—which are vital for biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and rural livelihoods. Approximately 40 percent of the country’s land area is designated as protected, underscoring the government’s recognition of forests as a strategic natural asset. The forestry subsector has previously contributed notably to the national economy, accounting for about 5.7 percent of GDP in 2012 and 5.5 percent in 2013.