For over four decades, Seuy harvested rice on land passed down from her grandmother and late father, using their same methods to work the land in the Tean Kam commune of northwestern Cambodia.

In June, the country's wet season, rains sweep across rice fields and the broader Cambodian landscape, soaking rice paddies and the ground that generations of farmers have cultivated for their daily meal and family income.

Over the years, the rains have grown unpredictable –sometimes arriving too late, sometimes too strong – leaving farmers in the lurch about when to plant and how to harvest.

Four years ago, heavy rainfall submerged and flattened Seuy's rice fields, damaging her crops. What little remained became difficult to harvest, necessitating machines to do the work that is usually manual.

Then Seuy learned about and joined the "Promoting Climate-Resilient Livelihoods in Rice-based Communities in the Tonle Sap Region" (PCRL) project, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the Global Environment Facility.  The project provided high-quality rice seeds suited to a new climate reality and on-the-ground training in sustainable practices to help farmers better adapt to a changing climate.

After receiving certified seeds and training on seed production, Seuy's yields started doubling, and she could sell seeds in addition to rice.

"I sold one barrel and ten bags of rice the first year," Seuy recalls. "The second harvest was much better: two barrels and five bags."

The certified seeds are not just more resilient to climate stress. They bloom into renowned fragrant jasmine rice that garners greater demand in export markets. "It's good, not discolored and the traders don't think twice," says Champey Ream, a rice farmer in the Ang Trapeang Thmor Protected Landscape of northwestern Cambodia. "We can secure higher prices," she says.

With support from PCRL, Champey adopted new techniques that reduced her use of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. "We use fewer seeds and apply fertilizers according to the techniques we learned," she explains. "Our rice used to suffer from diseases, but now it's healthy, with robust growth and high purity."

From just 40 kilograms of seeds, Champey harvested two tons of rice, earning nearly 1.5 million Riels, or USD 375. "We've doubled our yield," she says. "And we spend less on seeds and fertilizers while improving our health and income."

The better seeds blossomed into new opportunities for Seuy: fences for fields, walls for a new house and extra savings to reinvest on her farm. Beyond the land, the extra income supports her child's education. "The money I earn goes to school fees," she says. "It helps children learn without falling into debt."

Champey has worked hard to ensure that her children and grandchildren gain an education for a sustainable future. Her daughter excelled and earned a scholarship to pursue a doctorate in environmental research, and Champey's rice farming is now supporting her grandchildren's schooling. "Knowledge is extremely important to help them and to help us," says Champey.

A lifelong advocate for women's empowerment, Champey has helped organize training sessions for women in her village and dreams of developing ecotourism in the community protected area and marketing its local products.

"I want other women to be strong, to understand the value of knowledge," says Champey. "Not to think that wealth is everything—without knowledge, it's not enough."

PCRL's farmer field schools are helping to spread knowledge of sustainable farming and providing hands-on experience in 17 community protected areas and 45 communes in the Tonle Sap region.

Farmers learn about climate-resilient rice and how to apply fertilizer efficiently based on the soil type. The project promotes drought- and flood-tolerant rice varieties, water-efficient land preparation and crop diversification. Demonstration plots bring lessons to life, and farmers learn to document progress and improvements in yield each season.

When climate finance unlocks access to inputs and knowledge, farmers are able to weather the uncertainties of a changing climate.

For Seuy and Champey, farming is more than a livelihood—it's a path to dignity, independence and a better future for their families. "I want peace for families, peace for society," Champey says. "As a woman, I want to understand the world—and help others do the same."

In the rice fields of Cambodia, that vision is taking root and growing fast.