Organizing Cambodian Farmers

In 2020, the European Union partially withdrew Cambodia’s duty-free access to its markets under the Everything But Arms deal. In response, the Cambodian government has sought to diversify its trade relations. It recently signed free trade agreements (FTAs) with South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and, most significantly, China. The latter already held increasing sway through projects such as its Special Economic Zones and the Belt and Road Initiative. The new Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) incentivizes foreign investments and agricultural exports to China. Critics, however, point to its lack of transparency and its impact on Cambodian labor rights. Hence, the Affiliated Network for Social Accountability (ANSA) and Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung have worked together to strengthen the political involvement of affected farmers and workers.

Initially, ANSA wrote a report and conducted a study to assess attitudes towards the CCFTA. Since many of the interviewed workers and small farmers were unaware of the trade agreement, ANSA set up exchange forums. These enabled Cambodian trade unions and farmer associations to review and share perspectives on the CCFTA. They also provided an opportunity to connect with experienced civil society organizations from across the Mekong region. Participants condemned that the agreement was negotiated behind closed doors and lacked accountability mechanisms. The vast majority of small farmers argued that the CCFTA is bound to aggravate existing challenges such as land grabbing, labor rights violations and irrigation. The export-driven expansion of agricultural production favors companies funded by foreign capital, yet threatens to displace farming communities and deplete local ecosystems.

Based on these findings, ANSA developed a program to facilitate a civil society-centered dialogue on the CCFTA. Educational materials and an extensive social media campaign aimed to raise public awareness. ANSA also conducted trainings for officials from trade unions, farmers association and NGOs across five provinces. The trainings focused on capacity building, accountability mechanisms, protecting labor rights, and developing an advocacy strategy. Several trade unions and farmer associations later joined an FTA working group initiated by ANSA. Finally, the network successfully hosted a conference on the CCFTA between government agencies and civil society organizations. Although the agreement remained largely unchanged, ANSA’s efforts have made a lasting impact on the Cambodian workers’ awareness and grassroots resilience.

To learn more about how FTAs are shaping the Mekong region, check out our publications on Vietnam’s ‘new generation FTAs’, their effects on wages, and trade union laws.