Hauts-de-Seine in Cambodia : A major mission to strengthen cooperation and sustainable agriculture

From November 19 to 24, 2025, a delegation of elected officials from the Département des Hauts-de-Seine, led by its President Georges Siffredi, is on a mission in Cambodia with a view to strengthened cooperation between France and the province of Siem Reap, formalized by the recent signing of an agreement for the period 2025-2029.

This trip is part of a concrete commitment to sustainable development and the structuring of fair agricultural sectors, notably supported by the projet TETARD, co-financed by the Agence française de développement (AFD).

Diplomatic meetings and shared commitments

Upon arrival in Phnom Penh, the delegation met key figures in the Cambodian agricultural sector, notably Mr. Tina Dith, Ministre de l'Agriculture, des Forêts et de la Pêche, as well as Mr. Olivier Richard, French Ambassador, highlighting the diplomatic and strategic importance of this partnership.

These exchanges affirmed the shared will to promote agroecological practices adapted to the environmental and climate challenges affecting the region.

Field visits and fostering local initiatives

Friday, November 21, was dedicated to field visits in the province of Siem Reap, with the participation of Governor Mr. Prak Sophoan and Vice-Governor Mr. Ing Kimleang, responsible for Agriculture. Representatives from the Department observed tangible results of actions conducted with Agrisud International, notably in raising youth awareness about sustainable agriculture, illustrated by the awarding of the trophée MéDDailles to students at the école Sala Baï and the discovery of a new project area in Angkor Thom.

Monitoring sustainable projects with GRET and Agrisud

On Saturday, November 22, the delegation continued visits, this time accompanied by teams from GRET and Agrisud, to follow several large-scale projects. These include the rehabilitation of dikes and communal reforestation, as well as an innovative vermicompost site in Dom Dek, co-financed by Syctom.

Additionally, meetings with local representatives allowed appreciating the positive effects of the projet LANN (Linking Agriculture, Natural resource management and nutrition), led by GRET, focused on nutrition and sustainable management of natural resources.

Closing with an exemplary health project

The trip concluded with the visit to a sludge treatment station, an exemplary project supported by several French organizations such as AIMF, AESN and SIAAP. This event highlighted the fundamental sanitary and environmental dimension of the actions undertaken.

A fruitful and sustainable partnership

Since 2009, the Département des Hauts-de-Seine has invested 8.5 million euros in cooperation actions in Cambodia, directly benefiting more than 4,700 people.

This partnership has helped structure ten agricultural cooperatives and a producers’ association, with significant economic results: a 75% increase in vegetable sale prices since 2011, alongside a 194% increase in the average monthly income of families practicing market gardening between 2011 and 2024.

These figures illustrate not only the efficiency but also the sustainability and relevance of the long-term projects initiated by the Department, which highlight the key role that decentralized cooperation can play in building respectful and mutually beneficial international partnerships.