Single Mother Builds Her Agricultural Supply Business After Earning The Trust of Farmers
“I provide an important service to the farmers. When they encounter problems with their crops, they call me or bring me the infected plants to look at.”
As a single mother of three Sieng Sophanna was looking for a way to increase her family's income and repay her debts. But with no formal education, her future success meant expanding her vacation and taking a calculated risk.
First, she opened a small shop in front of her home near Siem Reap, in the country’s northwest, selling clothing, household items and agricultural products. As her business grew, she decided to take out a business loan. But she had trouble finding suppliers, and although she wanted to learn more about business, it was too expensive to attend lessons.
However, Sophanna’s fortunes changed when she enrolled in iDE agribusiness accelerator, fully immersing herself in the classroom sessions and training on business development. The accelerator developed her expertise, equipping her with the know-how to set business goals, identify her customers, refine her product offerings, and build relationships with input wholesalers.
Sophanna’s monthly sales have increased substantially since participating in iDE training, “I have earned the trust of my partners and customers because I am honest with them,” she said. Credit: iDE
Launched in partnership with iDE and SHE – a local training provider, which recently merged with iDE – the accelerator is Cambodia's first gender-focused, culturally tailored training program for women-owned microbusinesses. Participants include commercial farmers, local input and technology suppliers, and farm-gate collectors with entrepreneurial potential but limited training.
Sophanna now proudly runs a successful small business selling agricultural inputs such as seeds and fertilizer to local farmers. With her accelerator training, she also offers advice, and even visits her clients at their farms to see how their crops are performing, while offering pointers.
“I provide an important service to the farmers. When they encounter problems with their crops, they call me or bring me the infected plants to look at. I can see for myself what the main pest or disease is, and explain to them how to properly address the problems,” said Sophanna.
To deepen her understanding of agrochemical application, and learn about the technical and regulatory limitations of using inputs, Sophanna worked closely with officials from the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry & Fisheries and iDE agronomists.
As part of her work, she also encourages farmers to use a smartphone app called Crop Health that helps them identify pests and diseases that harm their crops. The app contains pictures of a range of bugs and ailments, and provides information on how to get rid of the problems.
With her improved expertise and newfound success, Sophanna’s monthly sales have increased substantially. “I have earned the trust of my partners and customers because I am honest with them,” she said.
In 2024, Sophanna expanded her business further and now grows crops herself, including cashew nuts, rice, and cassava. And because she has hired staff to support her accounting and marketing strategy, she’s also creating jobs in the community.
Written by Tet Chann, Communications and Knowledge Management Specialist at iDE Cambodia. Stay connected with iDE Cambodia on our social channels here.