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Cambodia

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On 26 June 2014, the Kingdom of Cambodia joined the SUN Movement with a letter from Chhay Ly Yim, the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development. At the time, Cambodia’s Council for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) and line ministries had developed the National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (2014 – 2018). The strategy was developed to complement existing sector strategies and plans and serve as a platform for joint inter-sectoral actions for food security and nutrition. In line with the strategy, the Ministry of Health launched Cambodia’s first National Fast Track Road Map for Improving Nutrition (2014 – 2020) to ensure that health services were delivering key nutrition interventions at scale. Other line ministries had also begun to develop similar road maps to ensure implementation of the inter-sectoral strategy.

Progress

Bringing people together
 92% 2019

Bringing people together
Coherent policy and legal framework
 78% 2019

Coherent policy and legal framework
Aligning programs around a Common Results Framework
 80% 2019

Aligning programs around a Common Results Framework
Financial tracking and resource mobilization
 62% 2019

Financial tracking and resource mobilization
TOTAL
 78% 2019

TOTAL
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Civil Society Alliances and Nutrition – Opportunities & Challenges

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The SUN Civil Society Network (SUNCSN) has as we speak 2.500 member organisations organised as National Civil Society Alliances (CSA) spread across 39 countries globally. In mid-July, I attended the SUN Civil Society Regional Learning Exchange – Asia co-organised by Global SUN CSN Secretariat and the Civil Society Alliance for Nutrition, Nepal (CSANN) in Kathmandu. 

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Nutrition situation

32.4%

Under Five Stunting

9.8%

Under Five Wasting

2.2%

Under Five Overweight

65.2%

0-5 Months Exclusive Breastfeeding

46.8%

Woman Anaemia 15-49 years

12.4%

Adolescent Overweight Male

8.2%

Adolescent Overweight Female

16.5%

Adult Overweight Male

20%

Adult Overweight Female

2.8%

Adult Obesity Male

5.1%

Adult Obesity Female

7.4%

Adult Diabetes Male

6.9%

Adult Diabetes Female
Nutrition Data Definitions

Strategic objectives

In 2017, the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) established a working group on WASH and nutrition, ensuring the convergence between the two sectors. The SUN Civil Society Alliance (CSA) Cambodia, led by an interim Executive Committee (EC) – comprising Helen Keller International, Plan International, World Vision International, Action Against Hunger and Save the Children – has concluded its interim mandate, and a new committee will be elected in mid-2017. UN agencies are rallying behind national nutrition priorities. However, the UN Network has not been formalised and the Business Network has not been established. The decentralisation of multi-sectoral efforts is supported by key donors. The visit of the SUN Movement Coordinator to Cambodia proved helpful in triggering a strategic dialogue amongst stakeholders.

Last updated: November 2017

2016
The Cambodian Working Group for Food Security and Nutrition meets, since 2014, every two months. Within the last year, a new Sub-Working Group that also integrates water, sanitation and hygiene has been created. Networks with the relevant stakeholders have also been established, bar a Business Network, with a remarkable 31 organizations joining the Civil Society Alliance (CSA). Recently, a Technical Working Group on Social Protection, Food Security and Nutrition was established in Cambodia.

Last updated: December 2016

2015
The Royal Government of Cambodia has mandated the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) to facilitate effective coordination, policy guidance, monitoring and information management for agriculture and rural development, social protection, food security and nutrition. The Technical Working Group (TWG) for Social Protection & Food Security and Nutrition is chaired by CARD and receives facilitation support from several UN agencies (WFP, FAO, UNICEF). The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provides a platform for the TWG to identify priorities, harmonise activities, address technical issues, mobilise resources and monitor progress. The TWG meets on a regular basis and a TWG Secretariat has been established with participation from line ministries and multiple stakeholder groups to improve coordination.
The Civil Society Network is being developed with Helen Keller International (HKI) appointed by CARD to lead the network. The establishment of institutionalised business and donor networks remains under discussion although in March 2015, over 250 representatives from all stakeholder groups came together and endorsed a Declaration on Nutrition. The declaration highlights the National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (NSFSN) (2014-2018) behind which all stakeholders are aligning their support.

Last updated: October 2015

CARD is conducting a mid-term review of the National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (NSFSN) to look at progress made from 2014 to 2016 and to set short and medium-term priorities (for 2019-2023). In 2017, FAO launched a report on gender and the right to food, whilst the WFP completed research on adolescent nutrition, with a particular focus on girls. The national social protection policy framework is in place (signed in March 2017), and incorporates cash transfers to support the 1,000-day window (i.e. pregnant and lactating women and children under two years), in addition to school meals for pre-school and primary school children. Nutrition is integrated into the school health policy.

Last updated: November 2017

2016
In 2015-16, rapid situation analyses, supported by the SUN Civil Society Alliance and UN Network, have been conducted to assess gaps and needs in the areas of breast milk substitute promotion, salt iodization and the management of acute malnutrition. A water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) Action Plan – with guidelines – was developed by the Ministry of Rural Development whilst the Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries created a Plan on WASH and agriculture, in addition to several other key Plans and Guidelines.

Last updated: December 2016

2015
Cambodia’s Rectangular Strategy for Growth, Employment, Equity and Efficiency Phase III (2014-18) includes nutrition and has set a broad policy direction for improving food security and nutrition. The Rectangular Strategy identifies priorities for enhancing availability, improving access, and utilisation of food.
The NSFSN, launched by the Prime Minister in 2014, was developed to complement the existing sector strategies and plans to fill gaps and include updates to international recommendations for nutrition. The NSFSN is an advocacy instrument for additional funding and enhanced coordination and integrated action for improved food and nutrition security. With leadership from the Ministry of Health, an evaluation of breastmilk substitutes and salt iodisation legislation was completed. Violations were reported and following this, a National Oversight Board was established to support adherence to legislation against the promotion of breastmilk substitute.

Last updated: October 2015

The review of the NSFSN will be used to prioritise key interventions and policies. Nutrition-relevant polices include: the Fast Track Roadmap for Improving Nutrition 2014-2020, the National Plan of Action for the Zero Hunger Challenge, the Ministry of Rural Development (MRD) Action Plan for Rural WASH 2014-2018, the Ministry of Health Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI), and the Agri- cultural Sector Strategic Development Plan. The Ministry of Health has disseminated the 3rd annual national nutrition report highlighting achievements in 2016. The MRD has completed the first-ever mapping of WASH partners. The new joint monitoring indicator framework for 2016-18 has been approved.

Last updated: November 2017

2016
Most SUN stakeholders have been successful in aligning their work with the National Nutrition Policies and Strategies – in particular the National Strategy for Food Security and nutrition 2014- 2018, with 90% of the Joint Monitoring Indicators (JMIs) developed – based on mutual accountability for development results – were implemented in 2014-2015. Furthermore, The UN Network reports annually on UNDAF priorities.

Last updated: December 2016

2015
In order to align the NSFSN indicator framework with the National Strategic Development Plan 2014-2018 result framework, as well as indicator frameworks from other national strategies and plans, the following monitoring and evaluation implementation process was agreed:
i. Monitoring of specific interventions and programmes is carried out by implementing sectors and will report statistics to CARD.

ii. CARD will follow up with sector ministries, to compile and integrate sector reports, and assess the overall impact on the NSFSN goal and objectives. CARD will publish an annual M&E report for the NSFSN.

iii. Annual progress review workshop of the NSFSN will be organised by CARD to discuss the M&E report to inform policymakers, implementers and development partners in the framework of the Cambodian Development Cooperation Forum (CDCF) who will appraise the overall planning of FSN related interventions and future resource allocations.

iv. An independent mid-term review of the NSFSN will be carried out at the end of 2016 to support a more informed dialogue on further development of the strategy.

The NSFSN currently includes 14 Joint Monitoring Indicators which provide a framework for setting medium-term goals based on outcomes prioritised in the Rectangular Strategy.

Last updated: October 2015

The Ministry of Economy and Finance has allocated budget lines for nutrition. Nutrition-related activities and their expenditures are reported in the Ministry of Health Annual Progress Report for 2016. SUN CSA has finalised a financial manual, detailing the financial policies and procedures to ensure transparent tracking of allocations and expenditures. In 2016, a total of USD 14.7 million has been spent on nutrition by 16 UN and civil society partners. Within this amount, USD 5.9 million is focused on fortified rice as part of the school feeding programme targeting pre-school and primary school children.

Last updated: November 2017

2016
In 2015, the Government started implementing its nutrition programme, budgeted and costed previously. To date, there is no nutrition-specific budget line, as most interventions are classified as health programmes. However, 16 out of 20 NGOs and members of the UN Network report to have spent $2.8 mill in 2015 on nutrition interventions. A recent analysis shows that the Ministry of Health has allocated ca. $800,000 to nutrition, the Ministry of Rural Development $2.5 million, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry $16 million.

Last updated: December 2016

2015
Efforts to track financial expenditure include a recent analysis led by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organisation and the Clinton Health Access Initiative. This analysis titled “Estimating health Expenditure in Cambodia – National Health Accounts Report (2012)” was published in October 2014 and showed that Cambodia was spending 1.3% of Gross Domestic Product on health in 2012. The analysis showed that 0.4% of the spending on health was spent on nutritional deficiencies.
A recent evaluation (UNICEF, WFP, CARD) estimates the economic burden of malnutrition in Cambodia is a loss between USD 250 and 420 million per year (approx. 1.5-2.5% of GDP). Following this, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Planning with support from CARD, UNICEF and HKI, developed a conceptual budget for Cambodia’s Fast Track Road Map for Improving Nutrition (FTRM). The FTRM provides partners with a framework to assess the feasibility and affordability of interventions and a platform to further discuss relative costs, opportunities and challenges. Cost estimates of the FTRM over the 6 years of implementation are 40 million USD.

Cambodia is planning the development of a guideline to integrate into the training curricula of Commune Councils to scale-up food security and nutrition in the local planning and budgeting process.

Last updated: October 2015

SUN Government Focal Point

His Excellency Silo Sok
Deputy Secretary General, Council for Agricultural and Rural Development

Donor Convenor

  • GIZ

Key Documents

10 resources found
Summary_CSN_WARegion_Workshop_Abidjan_ENG_Feb2020
Cambodia Country Profile 2019
Cambodia Country Profile 2018
Cambodia SUN Movement Annual Progress Report 2017
Cambodia SUN Movement Annual Progress Report 2016
Cambodia Joint Assessment 2016 (EN)
The 2015 SUN Report - Cambodia
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Message
Letter from the Secretary of State
Cambodia's Declaration on Nutrition (2015)
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