Japan-Funded 20,000-Hectare Southwest Phnom Penh Irrigation Scheme Nears 99% Completion

• Proeksa Meas
• 13 August 2026
• Construction Focus
• 125 Views

Inspected by Water Resources Minister Thor Chetha, the major JICA infrastructure project across Kampong Speu, Kandal, and Takeo promises to boost rice yields for nearly 8,000 farming families

Agricultural productivity and flood management southwest of Cambodia’s capital are set for a major transformation as the Rehabilitation and Improvement of Irrigation and Drainage Systems Project in Southwest Phnom Penh reaches approximately 99% completion. Financed through a development loan from the Government of Japan via the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the massive water management infrastructure project spans key agricultural zones across Kampong Speu, Kandal, and Takeo provinces. Minister of Water Resources and Meteorology HE Thor Chetha announced the near-total completion of the civil works on August 4, 2026, following a comprehensive on-site inspection of construction progress.

The development framework comprises two major sub-projects engineered to optimize water distribution, mitigate seasonal flooding, and build agricultural resilience. In Kampong Speu province, the Roluang Chrey sub-project located in Chbar Mon town and Samraong Tong district involved extensive rehabilitation of core hydraulic infrastructure. Works included repairing one Roluang Chrey headwork structure, two water intake conveyance systems, an 11.70-kilometer northern main canal, and a 12.60-kilometer southern main canal. Technical teams also restored 49 secondary and tertiary canals stretching a combined 26.7 kilometers, alongside 207 related concrete structures.

Simultaneously, the Kandal Stung-Bati sub-project, extending across Kandal Stung district in Kandal province and Bati district in Takeo province, delivered vital structural control barriers and conveyance channels. Key achievements included constructing a 9.40-kilometer Stung Toch protective dike, building a 4-kilometer concrete main canal, and installing two water diversion structures, five bridges, 11 drainage gates, three water intake facilities, and the Kampong Dangkao spillway structure, accompanied by 33 related auxiliary sites.

Officially breaking ground on June 13, 2023, the JICA-backed initiative was designed to address historical dry-season water shortages and reduce wet-season flood risks across the lowland plains. Upon full operational handover, the upgraded network will supply reliable irrigation across more than 20,000 hectares of farmland, directly benefiting 7,925 agricultural households. Beyond securing year-round water access, the improved irrigation and drainage capabilities are projected to elevate local rice yields significantly, increasing average harvests from 2.20 metric tons to 3.80 metric tons per hectare. (read more)

• Projects Development
• irrigation
• MOWRAM
• Flooding Canal
• drainage
• JICA
• Japan's grant