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Cambodia

WFP Cambodia Country Brief, November 2023

Attachments

In Numbers

337 mt of food assistance distributed

US$465,000 cash to schools for Home-Grown School Feeding

US$679,301 six-month (December 2023-May 2024) net funding requirements

185,000 people assisted

Operational Updates

Social Protection

• As part of the joint transition strategy, WFP identified 126 schools to transition into the national homegrown school feeding programme in 2024. Each school underwent a thorough checklist review of infrastructure, equipment, and capacity. Preparatory procedures, such as food and cash clearance, report submission, and information dissemination, were followed. Provincial offices of education have been notified, awaiting an official confirmation for a seamless transition.

• To foster shock-responsive social protection, specifically in cash assistance deliveries and responses, WFP identified the National Social Assistance Fund (NSAF) as a key partner. A comprehensive capacity needs mapping exercise was conducted, engaging multiple cross-functional departments within NSAF. They completed assessment worksheets, offering evidence-based inputs and generating recommendations and next steps. The assessment encompassed policy and legislation, institutional effectiveness and accountability, strategic planning and finance, and programme design and delivery. The exercise resulted in a comprehensive capacity assessment report, guiding future partnership agreements between WFP and NSAF.

Food Security & Nutrition

• In celebration of Cambodia's 10th National Nutrition Day, the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development, with support from WFP, UNICEF and key stakeholders, launched a Fill the Nutrient Gap analysis, providing crucial insights into the barriers to healthy diets in the country. The analysis revealed that while progress has been made in improving access to nutritious foods, current diets remain inadequate, leading to all forms of malnutrition, increased risk of non-communicable diseases and an annual economic burden of US$1.5 billion (i.e., 6.6 percent of GDP). Targeted interventions and comprehensive strategies are urgently needed to address these challenges and promote access to healthier diets in Cambodia, with a particular focus on social assistance programmes.