Khmer Enterprise and the National University of Battambang (NUBB) have inked a partnership and launched the Agri-Food Challenge 2023 to support initiatives in the province.

On July 26, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Chhieng Vanmunin, CEO of Khmer Enterprise, and Sok Khorn, Rector of NUBB.

The event at NUBB also marked the launch of the Agri-Food Challenge 2023. It was attended by a select 13 groups who submitted their innovative agri-food ideas, 62 students, technical mentors and instructors, and other relevant institution representatives at the provincial level.

Participating students are offered four weeks of pre-incubation training on entrepreneurship. Students are then expected to create product prototyping and participate in exposure trips before competing in semi-final and final rounds.

The program offers opportunities to students to compete using new food concept ideas. This is an essential part of the innovative ecosystem and may help raise the number of potential startups within the food processing sector.

The agri-food industry plays an important role both in Cambodia’s development and innovating new products for small and medium enterprise development for local and oversea market demand to support economic growth of the country.

It also increases demand for ready-to-eat food products, changes lifestyles, and leads to an increase in nuclear families and working women in the country by providing more opportunities for processed foods enterprises.

Vanmunin said,

‘’This event signifies a local initiative that is supported by Khmer Enterprise to catalyze the future of innovation and promote entrepreneurship among university students mainly in food processing. This project is hoped to generate new agri-food startups and support the needs in the agri-food industry in Battambang.”

Khorn added, ‘’The Agri-Food Challenge 2023 aims to establish and promote students on food product innovation and entrepreneurship in university. This is an essential part in the innovation and may help raise the number of potential startups.’’