How women are driving climate action in Cambodia

In Cambodia, climate change has been a daily challenge for years. 

Cambodia is one of the most vulnerable countries in Southeast Asia when it comes to climate change - it is ranked the 17th most vulnerable country in the world to climate change by the Global Climate Risk Index 2025.1

With an economy that relies heavily on farming, tourism, and construction, changes in the climate, like longer droughts, stronger floods, and unpredictable weather, are hitting small farmers, particularly women, hard.

In rural areas, farming is the main source of income for most people, with nearly 6 out of 10 workers involved in agriculture. With weather patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, traditional farming methods are struggling to keep up.

Farmers and fishing communities in Kampot and Koh Kong are facing a mix of problems: less food and income due to failed crops and poor fish catches; floods and saltwater damaging land and drinking water, destroyed homes and toilets after disasters, draining families’ savings; and reduced job opportunities, especially for women.

Women make up a large part of this workforce but face even more challenges. Many have less access to education, information, and tools that would help them deal with climate risks. For example, men are more likely to receive weather updates or advice on what crops to grow, leaving women less prepared when disasters strike.2

In provinces like Kampot and Koh Kong, many women carry a double burden. They not only farm but also take care of their families, collect water, raise livestock, and manage household chores. This heavy workload makes it harder for them to adapt when floods damage crops or saltwater ruins soil and water supplies.

The Covid-19 pandemic made things even worse by disrupting markets and income sources. Combined with the ongoing impacts of climate change, families in Cambodia are finding it harder than ever to escape poverty.

To help communities adapt, new projects were set up to make villages more resilient to climate change. 

She is the Answer: Aid Match appeal

ActionAid UK launched the “She Is the Answer” fundraising appeal in 2021, spotlighting the power of women-led responses to climate change. 

Thanks to the generosity of supporters and matched funding from the UK government through the UK Aid Match scheme, the campaign raised £2.26 million, including £1.08 million in UK aid.

That funding has gone on to support the Women-Led Alternatives to Climate Change (WLACC) project, an ambitious three-year initiative running across four provinces in Cambodia: Kampot, Koh Kong, Pursat, and Oddar Meanchey. Since its launch, WLACC has reached 53,000 people, helping build resilience in vulnerable communities by equipping women to lead the way.

As part of this project, local farmers and fisherfolk were able to set up and run the Kampot Resilience Market showcasing local agroecology products, coconut‑husk organic fertiliser enterprises in Koh Kong, and community savings groups in Pursat enabling women to expand livelihoods and advocate for climate justice.

The idea is not just to survive climate change but to build back better, especially for those who are often left out, like women, young people, and people with disabilities.

The projects take a participatory approach, meaning communities are involved in the planning and decision-making from the start. Women are given leadership roles and training so they can build their skills, earn an income, and help others do the same.

Here are some of the innovative initiatives local women launched with the funding.

Women farmers at the Resilience Market in Cambodia.

ActionAid Cambodia

Resilience Market in Kampot

In the heart of Kampot Province, Cambodia, women are stepping up to protect their communities from the effects of climate change and create better lives for everyone around them.

Launched in the summer 2023, with the support of ActionAid Cambodia and their partner, CWDCC, the Resilience Market is a women-run enterprise that exclusively sells natural products grown by local small farmers. 

Through community meetings, problem-solving discussions, and persistent planning, the idea of the Resilience Market came to life, a place to showcase, celebrate, and sell local, natural products grown through climate-resilient, sustainable practices.

It not only connects farmers to buyers but gives women in the region the opportunity to run small businesses, gain entrepreneurial experience, and earn their own income.

Open seven days a week, the Resilience Market supports the local community, especially women, by providing a nearby place to sell their products, saving them the time and cost of transporting goods to the city. It helps them promote local and natural products; building a reliable supply chain that connects producers directly with consumers, helps generate income, especially for women, many of whom are running businesses for the first time; strengthens advocacy, by showing the tangible benefits of gender-inclusive, community-driven solutions; and fosters partnerships, including with local authorities, other NGOs, and potential business collaborators.

As Chan Kanha, 37-year-old leader of the Women Champion Network in Kampot, proudly shared:

I am really happy and satisfied with the startup of this Resilience Market. This is the initiative of women champions as a response to the communities’ needs, empowering women in earning their own income, and promoting climate resilience in the communities.”

Coconut husk fertlisers

In Koh Kong, women champions have supported local farmers to create a business producing organic fertiliser from coconut husk, an original example of turning local waste into climate-smart innovation. The project not only helps the soil retain moisture and improves yields but also provides additional income streams for families.

Using a special crushing machine farmers mix coconut husks, rice hulls, cow dung, and other organisms to create a rich, protective fertiliser ideal for growing strong vegetable and melon seeds. This homegrown solution reduces reliance on costly imports and supports Cambodia’s push toward more self-sufficient, climate-resilient farming.

This local innovation is helping farmers grow healthier crops, save money, and build resilience against future disruptions, while turning agricultural waste into a valuable resource.

In Pursat, Cambodia, Chea's life has been transformed through a women-led savings group supported by ActionAid’s WLACC project.

ActionAid Cambodia

Savings and loans groups

Meanwhile, in Pursat, WLACC has helped establish village savings and loan groups. These women-led financial cooperatives allow members to invest in climate-smart farming tools, diversify their income, and create a safety net for times of climate-induced hardship.

These groups allow members to borrow and repay money interest-free and receive support to start small businesses. With more financial stability, many women are now able to afford school fees, uniforms, and supplies for their children.

Chea , a 38-year-old business owner, lives in Po village, Pursat Province, with her farmer husband and their two sons. Her life has been transformed through a women-led savings group supported by ActionAid’s WLACC project.

Once forced to work abroad and struggling to feed her family, Chea accessed small loans to launch a food stall in her village. 

Previously, I worked as a labourer in Thailand, leaving my husband to care for our children. Our family lived in dire straits, constantly struggling with food insecurity. We often didn't have enough to eat, and we couldn't afford to send our sons to school. There were times I had to borrow money from neighbours just to cover basic needs like medical expenses and gasoline, I felt embarrassed, lacking both confidence and self-trust."

Through the Pursat Women Champions loan program, Chea accessed loans to start a business that would provide additional income for her. Her business now provides daily income, enough to send her sons to school and even buy land. The savings group, managed by local women, offers interest-free loans that help others like Chea invest in farming or small businesses—proving that when women lead, whole communities grow stronger.

I am deeply grateful to RFCD and AAC for providing this financial support through the WLACC project, it has significantly improved my family's living conditions, as well as those of other women Champions. I sincerely hope this project continues to support community development in the years to come."

The Women-Led Alternatives to Climate Change in Cambodia (WLACC) project, implemented by ActionAid Cambodia, helps fisherwomen adapt to climate change through sustainable fishing practices.

ActionAid Cambodia

Women rising and leading change

These initiatives are more than just a place to trade goods, farm better or save more, they're a symbol of resilience. 

It’s where women are reclaiming agency, where ideas grow into livelihoods, and where communities find strength through solidarity. From savings groups and sustainable farming to local fertiliser production, every initiative under the Women-Led Alternatives to Climate Change (WLACC) project reflects that when women lead, progress follows.

Thanks to support from UK aid through UK Aid Match, ActionAid Cambodia is helping shift power into the hands of women, those who know their communities best.

Find out more about how UK Aid and ActionAid are backing women-led climate resilience.

Women in Cambodia are planting the seeds of a stronger, more sustainable future, one market, one woman, one community at a time.