AKCMM Project Advances: Third Methane Reduction Committee Meeting Greenlights AWD Pilot Implementation in Kampong Thom
May 12, 2026
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Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 12, 2026 – The third meeting of the Methane Reduction Committee (MRC) for the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation for Methane Mitigation (AKCMM) project was held on 12 May 2026 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Chaired by H.E. Sum Thy, Director General of the General Directorate of Policy and Strategy at the Ministry of Environment, the meeting brought together eight committee members and representatives from the Ministry of Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The session provided an opportunity to review overall project progress, hear updates from the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) on the Marginal Abatement Cost Curve and MRV framework for the rice sector, and discuss ongoing activities related to methane reduction across agriculture and waste sectors.
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC), which presented the findings of its Feasibility Study on Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in Kampong Thom Province, conducted between November 2025 and May 2026, as well as a proposed Pilot Implementation Plan. The study confirmed strong viability for AWD across policy, institutional, technical, economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
The MRC also formally approved both the Feasibility Study and the Pilot Implementation Plan, with pilot activities targeting the dry rice cycle starting in October/November 2026 in Kampong Kou Commune, Kampong Svay District. On the waste and wastewater front, the committee also endorsed the scope of work for methane reduction from cassava processing industry wastewater and noted progress on the proposals received under the Terms of Reference for pig farm waste management, currently under technical evaluation.
The meeting concluded with the MRC approving the project’s capacity building plan, with the agreement that topics related to pig farm methane emissions would be further refined once the relevant consulting firm is contracted. Key next steps include GGGI finalizing its grant agreement with KRC to begin pilot preparation by end of June or early July 2026, advertising a Terms of Reference for the cassava wastewater study, and continuing close collaboration with IRRI on gas chamber establishment and MRV gap assessment. The meeting marked a pivotal milestone for the AKCMM project in Cambodia, moving from feasibility into on-the-ground implementation.
The AKCMM project is funded by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund and is being implemented by GGGI across nine ASEAN countries.
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