The Rural Infrastructure Programme (RIP) is a Cambodia-German Financial Cooperation programme, which is implemented with the Ministry Rural Development (MRD) as the Programme Executing Agency (PEA). The RIP aims at improving year-round access to markets, schools, health centres and public services in rural Cambodia and thereby creating the conditions for pro-poor growth. The target provinces for RIP IV are Preah Vihear, Otdar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey and Battambang, located in the north of the country, with RIP V focussing on Preah Vihear, Otdar Meanchey and Banteay Meanchey and RIP VI (2018-2020) targeting Banteay Meanchey only.
There are two main components: i) Implementation of the Investment Measures Component (IMC), which focuses on rehabilitation and upgrading of rural roads and construction of associated civil works like bridges and culverts, spot improvements, construction of market buildings and other associated infrastructure, project management and operation, contingencies, audits, and ii) Accompanying Training Measures Component (ATMC), which has the objective to improve the capacity of the Ministry and the provincial offices of the Muinistry of Rural Development in project planning, tendering, supervision and other relevant project management issues, development of norms and standards for rural roads with focus on climate resilience, rural road design and maintenance.
The project implementation consultancy was executed by a consortium of Gopa Consultants (later changed in GOPA -Infra), OCA and the Cambodian partner ILKH.