The UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Cambodia has signed an agreement with the government and will implement its Cambodia Country Strategic Plan 2024-28.

The $63 million plan is expected to contribute to food security and climate change resilience.

The January 30 signing ceremony was witnessed by Yentieng Puthirasmey, secretary of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Claire Conan, WFP representative in Cambodia, said a foreign ministry statement.

According to the ministry, the 2024-28 strategic plan will provide technical assistance and policy advice, particularly in the fields of social protections, food systems and disaster management. The budget for the four-year plan is $63.3 million.

“The provision of technical assistance and policy advice will promote healthy diets and adaption to climate change. This closely aligns with the government’s Pentagonal Strategy and National Strategic Development Plan,” said the release.

Yi Kimthan, deputy country director of Plan International (Cambodia), said on January 31 that the implementation of the WFP plan is very important because it contributes to enhancing the Kingdom’s food systems and the nutrition of children.

He added that the stunting rate in children remains high, with little overall change in the rate of underweight children in the past decade.

“The WFP programme, especially as it relates to food systems and the promotion of healthy diets, will definitely contribute to the further development of the Kingdom, as we work to reduce the rate of stunting,” he said.

In addition, assistance is needed to reach the people, especially the rural poor, who are most vulnerable to climate change-related natural disasters. A lack of food will drive even more people into poverty, he explained.

For over 40 years, WFP has supported the Cambodian government by improving food security and nutrition for the most vulnerable members of society.