For many farming households in Northwest Cambodia, the most significant change was not simply growing more vegetables, but gaining a trusted source of food, knowledge and support close to home. Text and Images: Panhaleak Chay, Sophea Yous, Saroeut Yong, Chariya Korn, Pherom Song, Caitlin Finlayson, Van Touch & Brian Cook
Farming, food and risk
For smallholder farmers in Northwest Cambodia, farming involves managing multiple and overlapping risks. Extreme heat, heavy rainfall, flooding, pests, disease outbreaks and fluctuating market prices all affect household livelihoods. For families who depend on agriculture for both food and income, these challenges can have immediate consequences.
Across farming households, concerns about food safety emerged alongside production challenges. While vegetables remain an essential part of household diets, many participants described uncertainty about vegetables purchased from markets. Several routinely washed and soaked vegetables before consumption because they were unsure about pesticide residues.
As Sout Komnith, explained, “We don’t trust it. We are afraid that even after half a month, the pesticides haven’t washed away.”
At the same time, farmers growing vegetables for sale often relied on chemical fertilisers and pesticides to protect crops from insects and disease. Managing the balance between productivity, income and food safety was a recurring concern.
“Sometimes it is hot—very hot, sometimes it rains heavily, and we cannot plant anything in some of those months because it is flooded and waterlogged and there are diseases and insects destroying the crops.”
Dany Moeut, a vegetable farmer from Banan
For Dany Moeut who later became a model farmer in the programme, weather, pests and labour shortages regularly affected production. Heavy rain, flooding and extreme heat could damage crops, while hiring labour increased production costs.
These challenges formed the backdrop against which households sought practical ways to improve food security and reduce risk.
In 2026, the Next-Gen Project together with Partners for Rural Development established a homestead agricultural mentorship programme supporting 48 smallholder households across five villages. The programme combined practical support to establish protected home vegetable gardens with peer-to-peer learning through model farmer demonstrations, workshops and digital support groups.
Rather than focusing solely on production, the programme aimed to strengthen household access to safe vegetables while creating opportunities for farmers to learn from one another.
Building gardens, building knowledge
Participating households received materials to construct vegetable net houses with raised beds and protective roofing. These gardens created spaces where vegetables could be grown closer to the home while reducing some exposure to heat and heavy rainfall.
Knowledge-sharing was equally important. Dany Moeut drew on her own experience to demonstrate techniques for making compost, natural fertilisers and homemade pesticides. Farmers visited her garden to observe these practices and discuss challenges they faced in their own production systems.
“I cannot just keep it to myself. I don’t want to die and take it with me, so I want them to know too.”
Through both face-to-face interactions and online groups, farmers exchanged practical advice on soil management, pest control and vegetable production. Learning occurred through observation, discussion and experimentation.
What changed?
Although households experienced the programme differently, similar outcomes emerged.
For one household, a seven-person family dependent on rice farming and vegetable production, the home garden reduced reliance on purchased vegetables and increased confidence in the food consumed by the family. Their first harvest produced 42 kilograms of vegetables, with some consumed at home and the remainder sold for additional income.
“It seems better than before, because we do it ourselves. We eat it without being so afraid.”
Doung Malis, rice farmer from Banan district
Chab Hoeut established a protected garden using natural fertilisers and biological pest management. While these methods required additional labour, his family reported eating more vegetables, spending less on purchased food and feeling more confident about food safety. He also observed that his children were eating vegetables more frequently than before.
Another household, whose livelihood depends heavily on vegetable production, used the garden to grow vegetables for home consumption and raise seedlings for commercial production elsewhere on the farm. The household reported spending less on vegetables purchased from markets and sharing produce with nearby relatives.
Dany, the model farmer, experienced a different kind of change. While she already had considerable farming experience, the protected garden encouraged a broader shift toward soil improvement, compost use and natural pest management. She expanded the range of vegetables grown, reduced dependence on purchased inputs and increased the regularity of harvests. Surplus vegetables were sold, with income contributing to household savings.
Across many households, participants consistently identified safe food, reduced household expenditure and improved confidence in what they were eating as among the most important outcomes.
The value of family and neighbourhood support
The gardens also strengthened relationships within households and communities.
Several participants described increased involvement from spouses and family members in planting, watering and maintaining the gardens. Because the gardens were located close to the home, they could be incorporated into daily routines more easily than distant agricultural plots.
Participants also reported stronger connections with neighbours and fellow farmers. Doung Malis regularly exchanged advice with other participants. Sout Komnith shared vegetables with relatives. Dany Moeut became a trusted source of information for farmers interested in producing vegetables with fewer chemical inputs.
These interactions created informal networks of support that helped farmers solve problems, exchange ideas and maintain motivation.
Why these changes matter
The home gardens did not eliminate the broader challenges facing smallholder farmers. Insects, disease, labour shortages and fluctuating market prices remain significant concerns. Several participants remained cautious about relying exclusively on natural pest management for larger-scale commercial production.
However, the gardens offered a practical way to respond to these challenges within existing constraints.
Raised beds improved drainage during heavy rainfall. Protective roofing reduced exposure to extreme heat. Compost and natural fertilisers helped improve soil quality, while vegetables grown close to home reduced dependence on market purchases.
In addition, the home gardens have also become a place of personal wellbeing. Many households described gardening as a source of enjoyment and relief from stress, providing a space to focus attention and observe tangible results from their efforts.
For participating households, these changes represented manageable adaptations that strengthened food security and reduced vulnerability.
More than a vegetable garden
Across several households, the most significant change was not measured simply in kilograms harvested or income earned. Instead, participants repeatedly returned to a similar theme: confidence.
Confidence in the safety of the food they consumed. Confidence in their ability to grow vegetables close to home. Confidence gained through learning from other farmers and sharing knowledge with neighbours.
For some households, this meant reducing food costs. For others, it meant eating a greater variety of vegetables, spending less time travelling to markets or creating opportunities to save for the future. For the model farmer, it also meant helping other farmers experiment with new approaches.
Taken together, these experiences suggest that home vegetable gardens can provide more than food production alone. When combined with peer learning and community support, they can become practical tools for managing risk, strengthening food security and improving wellbeing in the face of ongoing uncertainty.