Lim Ponny is the owner of a dried fish processing enterprise in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. Ponny and her husband have run their small business for over a decade. The post-harvest fishery sector is one of the main sources of income generation and job creation in Cambodia. Women play a significant role in the sector, overseeing the processing, marketing, retail, and distribution of excess fishery products nationwide.

Ponny’s family employed a traditional method of fish sun-drying – a common practice in Cambodian post-harvest fisheries. However, they often encountered challenges as this process was time-consuming and not hygienic. Additionally, it is almost impossible to dry fish on cloudy and rainy days, leading to spoilage, post-harvest losses, and production delays. At the same time, artificial driers are unaffordable for them due to the high electricity costs in Cambodia.

When Ponny learned about the UNIDO CAPFISH-Capture: Post-harvest Fisheries Development project, funded by the European Union, she decided to apply for the project's Value Chain Investment Support (VCIS) scheme.

Through this VCIS scheme, the project supports post-harvest fishery enterprises by promoting improved practices and innovations in the private sector, aiming to upgrade processing operations and ensure compliance with food safety standards. The introduction of industry innovations not only increases operational efficiency and enhances competitiveness but also facilitates access to local, regional, and international markets. These efforts align with the priority areas of the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) in Cambodia.

Thanks to this collaboration, the project has provided Ponny with equipment and technical support to upgrade her business and comply with food safety requirements. Through a co-investment fund of US$ 46,000 by Ponny, her enterprise has acquired a solar dryer dome, a vacuum packing machine, a hot air dryer, cooling boxes, and hygiene tools from the project. These efficient processing tools, coupled with tailored business and food safety coaching, have assisted her in enhancing product quality and safety and ensuring market expansion.

The enterprise is also dedicated to upholding environmental and social safeguards developed by the project to promote sustainable and inclusive business growth. As an example of this commitment, the enterprise has created job opportunities for 11 local individuals, including seven women.

UNIDO has also assisted Ponny in obtaining quality certification under the Cambodia Quality Seal (CQS) and linking to new buyers and markets.

"I have finally fulfilled my dream after experiencing many failures and challenges in the past. With the support from the UNIDO CAPFISH-Capture project, I am committed to building our brand, emphasizing food safety, and delivering high-quality, nutritious fishery products to Cambodian consumers in both domestic and regional markets," Ponny concludes confidently.

Project name: Cambodia Programme for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in the Fisheries Sector: Capture component (CAPFISH-Capture)