Sustainable Agriculture Solutions to Improve Farm Productivity

Sunshine on a farm

By Jake Gard on Unsplash

Sustainable Agriculture Solutions to Improve Farm Productivity
For Small, Medium and Industrial Farmers
SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Food and Beverage
Food and Agriculture
Business Model Description

Invest in provision (selling or renting/leasing) of equipment and information services to increase the agricultural productivity in a climate resilient manner using modern sustainable methods of regenerative systems, irrigation, greenhouse and solar technology for productive use and quality inputs.

Smart Agro, founded in 2018, works with a worldwide network of agronomists and scientists to develop solutions that help agricultural producers maximize opportunities and reduce production costs and risks while increasing the sustainability of their operations.

Agri-Sambathkhmer Co., Ltd. (ASK), founded in 2017, is a leading greenhouse company that aims to develop AgriTech vegetable farming with soilless solutions (greenhouse technologies). ASK invested >USD 10 mn in Greenhouse and Mushroom farming, with >42 hectare of agricultural land to date.

Expected Impact

Improve crop yield, farmers' income and quality of life of rural communities; ensuring reduction in carbon emissions and reversal of climate change.

Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
> 25% (in IRR)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Medium Term (5–10 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
> USD 1 billion
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Zero Hunger (SDG 2) Climate Action (SDG 13)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8) Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) Life on Land (SDG 15)
Sector Sources
  • (1) Climate Links. (2017). Greenhouse Gas Emissions Factsheet: Cambodia. https://www.climatelinks.org/resources/greenhouse-gas-emissions-factsheet-cambodia (2) Asian Development Bank. (2021). Cambodia Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/718806/cambodia-agriculture-rural-development-road-map.pdf (3) Royal Government of Cambodia. (2018). National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2019-2023. https://www.mop.gov.kh/en-us/Home/Download/def33e18-289c-45b1-b6e3-fb357435c019 (4) USAID. (2022). Agriculture and Food Security. https://www.usaid.gov/cambodia/agriculture-and-food-security (5) Gillispie, A. (2018). The Borgen Project. Girls’ Education in Cambodia Fights Inequality and Rural Isolation website: https://borgenproject.org/girls-education-in-cambodia/#:~:text=Gender%20Disparities%20Still%20an%20Obstacle%20in%20Cambodia&text=Data%20collected%20by%20various%20international,students%20increases%20with%20each%20grade. (6) Gokhale, V. (2008). Role of women in disaster management: An analytical study with reference to Indian society. In The 14th world conference on earthquake engineering October (pp. 12-17). https://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/14_10-0049.PDF (7) Clingeleffer, K. (2020). Women Through the Women's Resilience Index. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/understanding-experiences-cambodian-women-through-womens-resilience-index (8) Statastica. (2022). Share of Economic Sectors in the GDP in Cambodia 2010-2020. https://www.statista.com/statistics/438728/share-of-economic-sectors-in-the-gdp-in-cambodia/ (9) Asian Development Bank. (2012). Linking the Poor with Rice Value Chains. https://www.adb.org/publications/linking-poor-rice-value-chains (10) Asian Development Bank. (2020). Regional: Greater Mekong Subregion Flood and Drought Risk Management and Mitigation Project (CAM). https://www.adb.org/projects/40190-013/main
IOA Sources
  • (11) Mordor Intelligence. (2021). Cambodia Agricultural Machinery Market--Growth, Trends, COVID-19 Impact, and Forecasts (2022-2027). https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/cambodia-agricultural-machinery-market (12) World Bank. (2020). Cambodia in the Time of COVID-19. https://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/357291590674539831/CEU-Report-May2020-Final.pdf (13) Firn, M. (2021). Cambodian Farmers to Benefit from Digital Cooperation Deal with South Korea. https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50877014/cambodian-farmers-to-benefit-from-digital-cooperation-deal-with-south-korea/ (14) Rickard, M. (2020). How a Cambodian Agro Tech Company is Helping Farmers to Reduce CO2 Emissions and Earn a Living as They Do. https://blog.task.io/success/agro-tech-impact (15) Ministry of Planning. (2020). General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjI69GCgLn2AhWNOpQKHeYXBt8QFnoECBUQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nis.gov.kh%2Fnis%2FCensus2019%2FFinal%2520General%2520Population%2520Census%25202019-English.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1ar_gbf395p0WnX4jU53Tu (16) Sithirith, M. (2020). Water Security in Cambodia: Between Too Much and Too Little. Journal of Greater Mekong Studies, 41 - 52. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350063255_Water_Security_in_Cambodia_Between_Too-Much_and_Too-Little (17) Smart Agro. (2022). We are a Unique Company that Works with a Worldwide Network of Agronomists and Scientists. https://smart-agro.net/?page_id=14 (18) Royal Government of Cambodia. (2019). Cambodia's Voluntary National Review 2019. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/23603Cambodia_VNR_SDPM_Approved.pdf (19) World Bank. (2018). Total Greenhouse Gas Emissions (Kt of CO2 Equivalent)--Cambodia. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.GHGT.KT.CE?locations=KH (20) Royal Government of Cambodia. (2018). Cambodian Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs) Framework (2016-2030). https://data.opendevelopmentmekong.net/dataset/3aacd312-3b1e-429c-ac1e-33b90949607d/resource/d340c835-e705-40a4-8fb3-66f957670072/download/csdg_framework_2016-2030_english_last_final-1.pdf (21) Royal Government of Cambodia. (2015). Industrial Development Policy 2015-2025. https://cdc.gov.kh/industrial-development-policy/ (22) Food and Agriculture Organanization. (2013). Law on Agricultural Cooperative. https://www.ecolex.org/details/legislation/law-on-agricultural-cooperative-lex-faoc172382/ (23) Council for the Development of Cambodia. (2021). Law on Investment. https://www.cambodiainvestment.gov.kh/en/law-on-investment-2021.html (24) USAID. (2008). Kandal province investment profile. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00HV46.pdf (25) USAID. (2010). Pursat province investment profile. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00HV4B.pdf