From 18–21 August 2026, Jan Staš led the Staff Capacity Building Training on Climate-Smart Nutrition, Home Gardening, Nutrition and Food Processing in Pursat Province, organised in cooperation with ADRA Cambodia.

 

Building on existing collaboration through the V-SOIL and V-BIOCHAR projects, the training brought together practical approaches to climate-smart home gardening, soil improvement, food processing and nutrition. Participants explored the use of locally produced biochar and vermicompost to improve soil conditions, alongside methods for diversifying household diets and preserving nutritional value during food processing.

 

The programme also focused on applying these techniques in households and local communities, with discussions on how ADRA Cambodia could provide continued technical support. The training helped identify opportunities for follow-up coaching and documenting how participants implement the methods in practice.

 

 

In Phnom Penh, Jan Staš participated in consultations concerning the planned qualifying training under the ASPIRE-AT programme. Discussions involved programme representatives and institutional partners, including the EU Delegation and the Czech Embassy.

 

The proposed initiative would provide professional training at CZU for Cambodian specialists working in agriculture, sanitary and phytosanitary services, and laboratory-related fields. With approximately 50 participants currently envisaged, the consultations addressed training needs, participant selection, language requirements, programme structure, certification and practical arrangements for training in the Czech Republic.

 

The discussions contributed to the preparation of CZU's training offer, with further coordination required to finalise the programme's scope, timetable, recognition of learning outcomes and budget.

 

 

Beyond the training activities, the visit provided an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and discuss potential future initiatives with ADRA Cambodia and other stakeholders.

 

Discussions explored opportunities to expand the practical application of biochar and climate-smart agricultural techniques, including potential cooperation with the private sector on biochar production and the productive use of process heat. Other topics included possible doctoral research on biochar derived from rice residues and a broader ADRA initiative involving Cambodia and the Pacific region.

 

Additional consultations addressed a prospective scholarship scheme for Cambodian students at CZU and potential future projects focused on agricultural value chains. These discussions remain exploratory, providing a foundation for possible future cooperation.

 

 

The mission further strengthened BRT's cooperation with ADRA Cambodia, ADRA Australia and ADRA New Zealand while creating opportunities for continued engagement with Cambodian, European and private-sector partners.

 

As a follow-up to the ongoing collaboration, V-BIOCHAR project sites were included in a visit by representatives of the European Union and Cambodian ministries on 8 September 2026, highlighting the relevance of the project's activities to wider institutional engagement.

 

Through continued capacity building, knowledge exchange and international partnerships, BRT aims to support the practical application of climate-smart agricultural solutions while strengthening opportunities for research and education cooperation between CZU and its partners in Cambodia.