PHNOM PENH: Aide et Action has teamed up with Tropic Planners and Landscape International to beautify Cambodia’s coastline while providing valuable training to locals in the production and maintenance of ornamental tropical plants.
Established in Cambodia in 2002, Aide et Action works with local NGOs to improve the quality of education and allow access to a primary education for the country’s most excluded populations. Since that same year, Tropical Planners has been providing the highest standard of landscape and horticultural design in Singapore, Malaysia and Cambodia. On August 4, the two organizations signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the “Development and marketing technical skills of ornamental products in the coastal areas of Cambodia" project.
Aide et Action Country Director Vorn Samphors told reporters that the agreement would provide training to students, youth and fishing communities from the coastal areas of Kep, Kampot, Koh Kong and Sihanoukville in the technical skills required to grow ornamental seedlings for the local market. Currently, most of Cambodia’s decorative seedlings are imported from abroad due to the lack of experts in the field.
He said, "We will focus on greenhouse training at some schools in the coastal areas so that our young people can start planting at nurseries in the city, at the airport, and at resorts." Vorn Samphors also highlighted how the project will benefit Cambodia’s coastal areas by making them more green and attractive to tourists for long-term stays.
Managing Director of Tropic Planners and Landscape International Ouk Sovann, said that his company would provide the seeds needed for the project, which will train students in public schools in coastal provinces to grow flowers and ornamental trees at nurseries for distribution. He noted that the project will generate income for the community and also reduce the import of plants and seedlings from abroad.
"This project is not just for schools. We will expand to any community that has land and can grow it. We will cooperate with them and buy seeds and flowers to supply their needs," he added.
He added that the training project is scheduled to begin this September and, if successful, it will go on to be implemented in the Tonle Sap and northeastern provinces next.
