To enhance understanding on the concepts and approaches of SME clusters and export consortia development and form three clusters and export consortia groups in pepper, salt, and fish sauce products, the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts (MIH), Royal Government of Cambodia and the Mekong Institute (MI) organized a two-day workshop on “SME Cluster and Export Consortia Development” in Kampot province, Cambodia, on 28-29th August 2014. The workshop was supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme (NZAP). It was also delivered by a six-member team of cluster development agents, and these people were trained at the MI on the concepts and approaches of SME cluster and export consortia development. The workshop was inaugurated by H.E. Soth Yea, Vice Governor of the Kampot province. 

A total of 27 participants representing the Kampot Department of Industry and Handicrafts (DIH), Kampot Chamber of Commerce, and entrepreneurs in pepper, salt, and fish sauce attended the workshop. 

It was begun by the welcome remark of Mr. Sok Kim Choeurn, Director of Kampot DIH and followed by a speech by Mr. Madhurjya Kumar Dutta, Program Manager of the Trade and Investment Department at the MI, introducing the NZAP-funded program on SME cluster and export consortia development. H.E. Soth Yea, Vice Governor of the Kampot Province in his opening remarks, emphasized that SME clusters have been playing important roles in promoting industry competiveness, especially in the moment of the AEC formation in 2015. And SME clusters will contribute to promoting the potential industries in Kampot such as pepper, salt, and fish sauce. He also underlined that to promote the growth of SME clusters is an essential part of the Cambodia Government’s 3rd Triangle Strategy. 

The workshop yielded fruitful results as participants gained knowledge and skills to form the clusters and export consortia groups in salt, pepper and fish sauce products, and they also developed the action plans for the further implementation.