Official launch of Ucoopia and the CHANTI project in Cambodia
On February 27, in Phnom Penh, our teams celebrated two key milestones: the official launch of Ucoopia in Cambodia and the inauguration of the “Agroecological Alliance for the Promotion of Sustainable Cashews in Cambodia (CHANTI)” project.
The event brought together many partners, donors, civil society organizations, farmer organizations, universities and research centers, and representatives from the private sector.
After a word of welcome, Veata Mey, Program Manager of Ucoopia in Cambodia, presented the objectives and ambitions of the CHANTI project (see box at bottom of page). The official launch of Ucoopia was marked by three other speeches: a video message from Julie Simon, Executive Director of Ucoopia, an institutional presentation of Ucoopia by Christophe Goossens, Program Manager in Belgium, followed by a speech by Mr. Marc Fransen, representative of the DGD (Belgian Cooperation).
We also had the honour of welcoming His Excellency Michel Parys, Belgian Ambassador to Cambodia, who delivered the closing speech.
The ceremony concluded with a convivial moment, during which guests were able to exchange around Cambodian and Belgian specialties. With this ceremony, Ucoopia marks the continuity of its actions in Cambodia and the continuation of fruitful collaborations with the academic world and civil society.
Strengthening the cashew nut value chain through the CHANTI project
As part of Ucoopia’s new areas of intervention, the “Agroecological Alliance for the Promotion of Sustainable Cashews in Cambodia (CHANTI)“ project is implemented by a consortium composed of Ucoopia, Development and Partnership in Action (DPA), and Action For Development (AFD).
Co-funded by the European Union and the Directorate-General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD), the project, which will run from 2026 to the end of 2029, aims to sustainably strengthen the cashew value chain in Cambodia. It is based on the promotion of agroecology, the development of sustainable agricultural practices and the strengthening of public-private dialogue.
Specifically, CHANTI project aims to improve the capacity and effectiveness of civil society organizations, in particular agricultural cooperatives representing small family farms in the provinces of Kampong Thom and Preah Vihear. The project also supports Cambodian organizations engaged in the cashew value chain — local NGOs, multi-stakeholder platforms and professional associations — to structure and energize the entire chain.