The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation plans to work 50 garment factories by 2021 to cut energy consumption by 20 to 30 per cent and water use by 10 per cent. For this, the organisation recommends factories to adopt new technologies and better training to make the industry more competitive, productive and efficient.

Hak Sokchea, National Project Coordinator of the organization says, improving resource efficiency in factories and industries could offset any expense caused by current uncertainty over the withdrawal of the European Union’s Everything-but-arms (EBA) privilege from Cambodia. It would also be better for humans and the environment.

Andrew Tey, Director of the Cambodia Garment Training Centre Institute (CGTI), believes productivity of these factories is improving every year with many factories now investing in new equipment and training staff to improve competitiveness and productivity. These factories by further improve their efficiency and productivity by as much as 65 to 75 percent through better training.