Home	> Our Work  > News > Minister of MAFF Visits Heifer Project

 Minister of MAFF Visits Heifer Project

	Accompanied by Country Director Sen Sovann, H.E. Dr. Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), visited a Heifer project implemented by
project holder Cambodia Agriculture Scientists Association (CAMASA) in Banteay Meanchey Province on March 2. The Minister was impressed by the impacts of Heifer’s Cornerstones application in community livelihood as project participants worked together and helped each other toward self-reliance, community holistic development, and social harmony. He praised the Heifer program for providing livestock and trainings with the passing-on approach for poor farmers, using them as the tools to gain food security and income generation. He noted that the project beneficiaries passed on not only animal offspring, but also their experiences and knowledge to other needy families. Meanwhile, the Minister took part in a cattle distribution ceremony to a self-help group of 30 poor families in Ta Un village, Teankam commune. Pheahnet Preah district, Banteay Meanchey province. The ceremony was also attended by local authorities at all levels, in particular the Provincial Governor, and officials from various Provincial Agriculture Departments.
In his speech to the participants, the Minister said that as animals were used as one of the tools for food security, village animal health workers (VAHWs) played a key role in livestock production by providing animal health services related to animal treatment and disease prevention to reduce animal mortality rates for an increase of farmers’ animal products. Therefore, attention must be paid to strengthening their capacity. Every village community must have at least one VAHW responsible for animal health and the provision of disease incident information to national animal health institutions. At the end of the ceremony, he expressed deep thanks to Heifer for providing both moral and material assistance to Cambodia’s poor communities. back to top