our programmes

Income Generation

Improving access to vocational training, community-led micro-finance, and business opportunity for individuals and groups

the challenge

5.7 million Cambodians live in poverty. It is therefore crucial to increase employment and stimulate the potential of income generation.

Small scale farmers and their families are one of the highest risk groups for food insecurity. Yet, they have the greatest opportunity to develop and expand existing income streams.

However, the key challenge in raising incomes in rural communities is low financial literacy and lack of basic business skills. These limit their ability to develop and expand small businesses.

Our Response

TGF Cambodia works closely with rural communities to train and educate farmers, youths, and small rural businesses. This is achieved by facilitating community-led micro finance and developing micro-businesses through the provision of vocational and business skills training,

Our goals:

Our Impact

Over $300,000 in savings held by community Savings Groups

Over 250% increase in household incomes since 2012

1 Agricultural Cooperative with a network of 100 small holder farmers

Over 1,100 Savings Group members across 39 groups

Community Savings Group

The community-based Savings Group was implemented in 2011 to provide basic financial services such as savings and credit to rural communities in Chi Kraeng.

These groups are taught to save regularly, borrow from their group’s fund, and repay loans with interest. At the end of the annual saving cycle, the fund is divided and each member receives their savings, plus a profit share.

Today, 1,1000 members in 39 groups across 38 villages are active in the Savings Group.

Integrated Farmer Field Schools

TGF’s Integrated Farmer Field School (IFFS) undertake concepts and methods from agroecology to educate farmers about processes that affect crops and livestock.

Though field observations, simple experiments, and group analysis, participants learn about crop management practices. In turn, this increases their returns.

Small scale plots are also setup for farmers to grow and sell vegetables in local markets. A commercial farming extension also supports farmers in expanding their home farms to a commercially viable scale.

Vocational & Business Skills Training

TGF’s Income Generation (IG) programme provides mentorship, as well as training in bookkeeping, business development, and marketing. In addition, the programme sets aside a budget to seed new businesses.

TGF works with the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate vocational training for the improvement of local agricultural and animal husbandry practices. This includes System of Rice Intensification (SRI) rice and vegetable production, pig, chicken and fish raising.

Agricultural Cooperatives (AC)

TGF supports the Ministry of Agriculture’s objective of increasing the number of Agricultural Cooperatives (AC) in Cambodia, and the participation of small farm owners in cooperative business activities.

To do this, TGF’s on-ground team provides training and resources for farmers to buy shares, then use the capital to develop collaborative business activities, such as agricultural input supply. This reduces expenditures and the cost of input, bringing higher returns.