Cambodia's Skuoy Chicken Programme Wins International Award
Cambodia's breeding programme for the indigenous Skuoy chicken has received the 2026 international award from ICRISAT for livestock improvement and production technologies. Funded by Australia and led by a research institute based in Nairobi, it now serves as a model for Laos and Vietnam.
An award for innovation from the Global South
The award was presented on 12 September 2026 at the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. It is the 2026 ICRISAT Centre of Excellence for South-South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA) Global Award, in the category of livestock improvement and production technologies. ICRISAT is the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics. The award recognises high-impact innovations from the Global South that can be scaled up.
Wondmeneh Esatu, lead poultry researcher at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and project leader, received it on behalf of the team and its partners.
A$5.5 million, four farms, 190,000 chicks
The programme is the Participatory Indigenous Chicken Breed Improvement Program, or PIC-BIP. It was developed under an A$5.5 million investment by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). ILRI leads it with national research partners and farming communities. The investment supports indigenous chicken breeding in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.
In Cambodia, according to ACIAR, the programme has set up four nucleus breeding farms. It has engaged more than 500 farming households and distributed more than 190,000 improved Skuoy chicks. The work is carried out in Takeo province.
Farmers set the criteria
The programme works on the Skuoy, a local dual-purpose hen raised for both meat and eggs. It combines scientific selection, performance recording and farmers' preferences. Farmers help define the traits to breed for: plumage colour, skin and shank colour, shank length, comb type, market weight and age, and egg production.
The programme does not replace the local chicken with commercial breeds designed for other farming systems. It improves the country hen from its own genetics.
The market explains these choices. A 2023 ILRI study found that Cambodian consumers are willing to pay more for indigenous chicken than for exotic chicken. It lists yellow skin among the economic traits that matter.
Laos and Vietnam adapt the model
Chicken production is a cornerstone of food security and rural income in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. It gives households affordable food and a regular cash income.
The model is now being adapted in Laos and Vietnam. It builds on chicken genetics research carried out in Africa, adapted with researchers and farmers in Southeast Asia. Each country adapts the method to its own chickens, farmers and markets.
The ACIAR-backed partnership runs until 2029. It is meant to consolidate genetic improvement and local research capacity, and to encourage knowledge exchange among the three countries.
In Cambodia, the second phase is to speed up genetic progress in the Skuoy, with artificial insemination introduced to improve reproduction. It also plans to strengthen market links and explore branding for indigenous chickens, according to ILRI.
At the launch of that phase on 27 October 2025, Tay Li, director of the Livestock Production and Health Department in Takeo province, proposed that the improved breed be recognised as “Skouy–Takeo”.
EuroCham's view
Our friends at EuroCham Cambodia gathered the comment of Mr Saran Song, Chairperson of the EuroCham Agribusiness Committee and CEO of AMRU Rice (Cambodia) Co., Ltd.
“International recognition of Cambodia’s indigenous chicken breeding program demonstrates the potential of locally adapted agricultural innovation to deliver meaningful impact for farmers and rural communities.
The program’s success lies in combining scientific research with farmers’ knowledge and preferences, improving productivity while preserving indigenous genetic resources.
With more than 190,000 improved native Skuoy chicks disseminated in Cambodia, it offers valuable lessons for strengthening rural livelihoods, food security, and smallholder competitiveness.
Its expansion into Laos and Vietnam also highlights the importance of regional cooperation in advancing sustainable agrifood development. By sharing knowledge, strengthening research capacity, and adapting proven approaches to local conditions, ASEAN countries can accelerate agricultural innovation and build more resilient food systems.
This is an encouraging example of how investment in research, collaboration, and farmer-centred solutions can create lasting value for agriculture across Cambodia and the wider region.”
Sources: ACIAR, via The National Tribune · ILRI, launch of phase II · ILRI, PIC-BIP poster · ILRI, study on indigenous chicken demand · EuroCham Cambodia
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