Cambodia—Technical Assistance to the Sustainable Assets for Agriculture Markets, Business, and Trade (SAAMBAT) Programme

Poor rural road infrastructure has constrained growth in Cambodia’s agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and construction sectors, while limiting rural communities’ access to education, health care, and markets. Climate-related hazards add to the challenges facing these communities.

The Technical Assistance for the Sustainable Assets for Agricultural Markets, Business, and Trade (SAAMBAT) Programme aimed to help reduce poverty by supporting a better-connected, more climate-resilient, and more equitable rural economy. It focused on rural road safety, environmental and social safeguards, and climate change resilience and adaptation.

The DAI-led consortium, with partners GOPA Infra and TAS Euro, supported SAAMBAT by working with Cambodia’s Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) to strengthen its capacity to plan and manage rural road investments. The work included guidance, practical manuals, and training for MRD and provincial department staff.

Select Results

• Trained 138 MRD and provincial rural development staff in safe rural road design through workshops at four regional centers, reaching staff from all 25 provinces.
• Delivered two four-day workshops on environmental and social safeguards and climate adaptation for 84 MRD, project management, and provincial staff from all 25 provinces.
• Developed a Rural Road Safety Plan and a Safe Rural Road Design Manual to guide the MRD’s work on rural road safety.
• Created practical guidance on environmental and social safeguards and climate resilience with the MRD for use by provincial and central staff.
• Assessed 37 kilometers of three rural roads through a pilot safety assessment and recommended a more suitable inspection-based approach for rural roads.
• Prepared guidance frameworks and technical manuals on environmental and social safeguards and climate resilience, in English and Khmer.