By Chakriya Khiev

CAPRED was pleased to meet Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Christine Clarke CSC, when she visited Phnom Penh this week.

Our Agro-processing team accompanied the Ambassador to meet well-known female Cambodian entrepreneur, LCT Oknha Keo Mom, Chairperson of Ly Ly Food Industry Co., Ltd.

The tour was held at Ly Ly KAMEDA by Oknha Keo Mom and her daughter, Ing Chhivly, CEO of Ly Ly Food. LY LY KAMEDA Co., Ltd is a joint venture between Ly Ly Food Industry Co., Ltd and KAMEDA SEIKA CO., Ltd, a Japanese rice cracker and snacks manufacturing company.

Ly Ly has produced quality rice crackers, snacks, and dried fruit and vegetables since 2002. All raw materials for the rice crackers are made from local Cambodian rice. The crackers are then exclusively exported to Australia and New Zealand.

They started with 20 employees and now, 20 years later, have 250, including 100 women. Ambassador Clarke was happy to see the number of female employees at Ly Ly KAMEDA Co.

“Women’s economic empowerment is so incredibly important. It is wonderful to see so many women employed here” she said.

In 2019, Australia funded a viability assessment of banana chips as a potential new product line. Ing Chhivly said that manufacturing dried fruit and vegetables is a new potential market for them. At Ly Ly Food, they have a big machine for drying fruit and vegetables.

Cambodia has a good source of bananas as well as okras, cucumbers, potatoes, pumpkins, and green beans.

“Ly Ly aims to use our own materials rather than import from overseas. We can process locally and export with big demand which helps farmers to create jobs and provides big impacts to society,” she said.

As Ambassador for Women and Girls, Christine Clarke’s role involves international advocacy to promote gender equality by empowering women and girls socially, politically and economically. She works to eradicate violence against women and girls and enhance the participation of women in decision-making and leadership.

“Australia is continuing to work with the investment partners through the Investing in Woman Program to attract more money into woman businesses,” Ambassador Clarke said. "We are very proud to support Ly Ly Food Industry.” LCT Oknha Keo Mom thanked the Ambassador for her time visiting the company.