UNIDO launches the first ever fisheries value chain investment support scheme in Cambodia

UNIDO, jointly with European Union (EU) and Cambodia Fisheries Administration, has launched the first ever Value Chain Investment Support (VCIS) scheme on 3 August 2021 at hybrid event.  

With support from the EU, the VCIS scheme of CAPFish project will benefit over 500 fishery enterprises and with their associated value chain actors in post-harvest fisheries sector of Cambodia.  

Fisheries is one of the country’s key economic drivers through its contribution to the employment creation and food security. The post-harvest fisheries sector has produced over 33 000 jobs, majority of employees being women. As indicated in a newly released report ‘’Profiling of fishery value chains and marketing system’’, Cambodia’s fishery products such as fermented fish, dried fish, smoked fish, fish ball, and fish sauce are found to have high potential for growth in terms of value addition and food safety compliance.

VCIS is expected to co-invest over EUR 5 million for upgrading the fishery enterprises under this scheme in post-harvest fisheries. The support is worth EUR 25 000 to EUR 100 000 for eligible fishery businesses depending on the scope of upgrading. The first round of call for proposals for VCIS is open from August to October 2021, followed by rolling calls with monthly reviews.

CAPFISH Capture - Post Harvest Fisheries Development is a five-year project co-funded by European Union and implemented by UNIDO in coordination with the Cambodia Fisheries Administration. The project is designed with the specific objective to contribute to the development of post-harvest fisheries focusing on strengthening the institutional food safety capacity and upgrading of post- harvest fisheries businesses through capacity building, food safety system implementation, matching investment support and providing business support mechanisms.

Read press release here.
Download VCIS materials here.

For further information contact Ali Badarneh (A.Badarneh [at] unido.org (A[dot]Badarneh[at]unido[dot]org)) and Shetty Thombathu (T.Shetty [at] unido.org)

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