APOPO demining teams in Cambodia are targeting the most mine-affected villages in order to return safe, productive land back to local communities where it can make the most significant impact. APOPO has a holistic understanding of the most important areas to target because of a proactive communication strategy with the communities themselves, the National Mine Action Authority (CMAA) and our partner Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC).

Through integrating mine detection animals into its methodology, APOPO is committed to clearing landmines and releasing land at an accelerated pace, helping to protect more people and release whole communities from a daily anxiety.

It has been 20 years since the Campaign to Ban Landmines won the Nobel Peace Prize. Since then, 31 countries have been declared mine-free and tens of millions of square meters of previously dangerous land have been released. Yet more than 60 million people still live with the daily fear of land mines and unexploded bombs. Cambodia has pledged to clear the country of mines by 2025. A deadline that will be difficult to achieve without significant additional funding and innovative methods to speed up the process.

Since 2016, APOPO has deployed 43 HeroRATs in Cambodia to sniff out and pinpoint leftover landmines and explosives. The program has cleared over 18 million m² of land, found and destroyed over 46,000 landmines, and explosive remnants across the country.