Turning Cambodia’s mango boom into resilience for smallholders

Across Cambodia’s mango-growing regions, farmers are facing a difficult paradox. Mango has become one of the country’s most promising commercial crops. It offers higher income potential, strong export demand, and lower climate vulnerability compared to staples like rice or maize. Yet climate shocks, market volatility, and post-harvest losses are making it harder for smallholders to translate this opportunity into stable, resilient livelihoods.

In recent years, unpredictable rainfall, heatwaves and disease outbreaks have made yields increasingly erratic. At the same time, farmers struggle with fluctuating prices, limited storage and processing capacity, and few reliable buyers. As a result, up to 15% of mango production can be lost or sold at minimal value simply because the fruit is too small, irregularly shaped, or harvested during periods of oversupply.

This is where Kirirom Food Production Co., Ltd (KFP) has stepped in.

A local company growing with farmers, not away from them

Founded in 2013, KFP began with a simple mission: reduce waste in the mango sector and create value-added products that benefit rural communities. Starting with a single processing line and fewer than 50 employees, the company has grown into one of Cambodia’s leading dried fruit processors, earning internationally recognised certifications and supplying premium dried mango to markets across Europe, North America and Asia.

Today, KFP processes around 100 tonnes of fresh mango daily and employs nearly 2,000 people (including seasonal workers), 59% of them women. The company sources mangoes from approximately 550 farmers, most of them smallholders, and has built a reputation for reliability, quality and fair sourcing relationships.

But by 2024, KFP hit a ceiling. Demand continued to rise, yet the company was operating at full capacity and had begun turning away orders. Meanwhile, farmers continued losing income on the 10–15% of fruit that could not meet dried-mango specifications.

To respond, KFP has developed a plan to double its dried mango capacity and diversify into mango purée and juice; an expansion designed to grow the business while tackling the systemic issues holding back farmers.

Turning waste into value, and value into resilience

By adding purée and juice lines, KFP will be able to buy and process fruit that is currently wasted. This can create new, more stable markets for farmers and reduce the income shocks that come from climate-affected harvests.

The expansion also creates an opening to strengthen climate resilience across the value chain. KFP plans to scale its farmer support programme, helping growers adopt improved farm management practices, obtain Global GAP certification, and use regenerative inputs such as compost and biochar-based fertilisers (pilot/R&D-based). These practices could help improve soil health, boost yields, and reduce vulnerability to unpredictable weather patterns.

“My biggest challenge is access to working capital. Here in Cambodia, banks require fixed assets as collateral, and as a growing agribusiness, I simply don’t have enough to secure the financing we need. DFCD’s support is unique because it doesn’t just offer funding, it also provides origination support that helps us test, plan, and ensure the investment is used in the right way.”– Ms Chhorn Dalis, founder of Kirirom Food Production (KFP)

“Companies like Kirirom show how inclusive, locally rooted agribusiness can transform opportunities for smallholders,” said Sola Heng, Project Manager, SNV/DFCD. “By reducing waste, expanding buying options and investing directly in farmers’ skills and resilience, KFP is helping create more stable incomes for thousands of rural households.”

DFCD’s support: de-risking growth and preparing for investment

To help unlock this next phase, the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) Origination Facility has approved a €305,500 grant to support KFP’s expansion and prepare the company for an anticipated US$8 million investment.

The grant will finance a set of strategic activities aimed at de-risking the business model and ensuring the expansion is climate-resilient, inclusive and investment-ready. These include:

1. Climate resilience analysis for the mango value chain
   A detailed assessment of climate risks, from rainfall variability to heat stress, and how they affect yields, quality and market stability. This analysis will guide both farm-level improvements and company strategy.

2. Circular use of processing waste
   Piloting compost and biochar production using mango by-products, turning waste into low-carbon, regenerative soil inputs that can strengthen farmer resilience while reducing environmental impact.

3. Establishing new juice and purée production lines
   Assessing feedstock potential, market dynamics and plant design to ensure the new processing lines are technically and commercially viable.

4. Expanding dried mango processing capacity
   Designing a cold chain system and conducting a Quality Management System (QMS) gap assessment to prepare for ISO 9001 certification - critical for accessing new export markets and investors.

5. Strengthening business planning and governance
   Developing a robust business plan for growth and preparing the company’s legal and operational structures for international investment.

6. Enhancing ESG and gender inclusion systems
   Developing a comprehensive Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) aligned with IFC Performance Standards, as well as a Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Action Plan.

Expected impact: more resilient farmers, stronger rural economies

With full investment, the project is expected to deliver significant benefits by 2030, including:

• 500 farmers (across 2,500 hectares) adopting improved, climate-resilient and regenerative farming practices.

• 818 farmers benefiting from increased sales and reduced post-harvest losses thanks to expanded buying of small and irregular mangoes.

• 870 new full-time-equivalent jobs, more than half expected to be filled by women, providing vital non-farm income opportunities in rural areas.

• Improved environmental management, including better biodiversity practices, responsible chemical use, and adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in line with Global GAP.

• Reduced waste and improved resource efficiency through circular approaches to by-product use.

KFP is already a women-owned company, and the Origination phase will help build on its strong track record by identifying and addressing structural barriers faced by women and marginalised groups along the value chain.

The DFCD’s support will help ensure that KFP’s growth translates into measurable benefits for farmers, workers and rural communities, while contributing to national goals for climate adaptation, sustainable agriculture and inclusive economic development.

About Kirirom Food Production Co., Ltd

Kirirom Food Production Co., Ltd (KFP) is a women-owned Cambodian company specialising in dried mango and other fruit products. Founded in 2013, KFP sources primarily from smallholder farmers and supplies international markets across Europe, North America, and Asia. The company is committed to reducing food loss, improving farmer livelihoods, and building a climate-resilient mango value chain in Cambodia. Learn more: https://www.kfp.com.kh

About the DFCD

The Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD) is a climate resilience fund, dedicated to supporting climate adaptation and mitigation projects which benefit vulnerable communities and landscapes. It is funded by the Dutch government and managed by a pioneering consortium of Climate Fund Managers (CFM), Worldwide Fund for Nature Netherlands (WWF-NL) and SNV, led by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank, FMO. For more information, please visit the DFCD website.

About SNV

SNV is a global development partner deeply rooted in the African and Asian countries where we operate. With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, we strengthen capacities and catalyse partnerships that transform agri-food, energy and water systems. Working on the core themes of gender equality and social inclusion, climate adaptation and mitigation, and strong institutions and effective governance, we tailor our approaches to different contexts to achieve large-scale impact and create sustainable and more equitable lives for all.

You can read the full disclosure document here.

For more information and if you want to share any confidential information you may have regarding the intended project or company, please contact:

SNV - Dutch Fund for Climate and Development: dfcd@snv.org