<p></p><p>Japan is continuing to support the Kingdom’s infrastructure development by disbursing about $180,000 for irrigation rehabilitation and agriculture projects in Kampong Cham and Tboung Khmum provinces. </p> <p>Ambassador Mikami Masahiro signed the grant contracts with Oum Vibol, director of the Kampong Cham water resources and meteorology department, and Heng Piseth, director of the Tboung Khmum agriculture department at the Japanese embassy in Phnom Penh. About $90,000 will go toward the Koh Svay irrigation rehabilitation project in Kampong Cham, while the rest will go to agriculture cooperatives in Tboung Khmum’s Memot and Dambae districts.</p> <p>Mr Mikami said in Kampong Cham, the money is to be used to renovate a dam, create access to a water gate for crop transport and build culverts for irrigation. He said the fund for Tboung Khmum will go toward the construction of warehouses and pepper and cashew processing equipment to be installed in two agriculture cooperative facilities, one in Memot and the other in Dambae.</p> <p>“The Japanese government is pleased to join Cambodia in developing [infrastructure] and resolving challenges,” Mr Mikami said. Mr Vibol said his project will ensure efficient water supply for rice fields and the expansion of irrigated agriculture land. He said about 5,000 residents are expected to benefit from increased rice crop production through renovated dykes used as paths to transport crops. “This donation from Japan will be helpful because improved irrigation systems will allow people to have water for crops,” Mr Vibol said. Mr Piseth said the two agriculture cooperatives in his province were having difficulties in increasing the value of pepper and cashew nuts due to a lack of processing equipment and warehouses. “Approximately 450 farmers belonging to those cooperatives will gain benefits through the increased value of their agricultural products,” he said. “We thank Japan for helping with this project. We will effectively implement this.” The Japanese government has provided over $60 million to sub-national authorities and non-governmental organisations in Cambodia since 1991 to implement 620 grassroot projects or Kusanone.</p><br><p></p>