Income from farming and natural resources remains fundamental to the livelihoods, nutrition and food security of 65% of Cambodians. Recent economic development has been accompanied by economic land concessions, hydropower dams and mining, particularly affecting the livelihoods of poor rural households who depend on fisheries and forestry.

In response, the Government has enacted environmental policy reforms, enabled multi-stakeholder dialogue with the private sector to improve value chains for forest products, fish and eco-tourism, and made international commitments to sustainably manage Cambodia’s environment. NGOs play an important role as intermediaries between authorities and communities to provide capacity building and advance and strengthen inclusive natural resource planning and management, while effectively addressing livelihood needs of rural households and communities through enhanced production practices.

Rural and indigenous communities and households increase their incomes and improve their resilience to economic and natural shocks by engaging in sustainable community-based livelihood approaches that protect their ecosystems and reduce pressure on their communal natural resource base.

Target groups: 370 NRM groups in four provinces (Kratie, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom). This represents approximately 50,500 households (205,000 people including 50% women and 10% indigenous people) over an area of 307,000 ha of NRM area.

1. Target communities have secure rights to their natural resources and are exercising them.
2. Households in target communities increase their income through sustainable community-based forest and fishery-related enterprises and strategies.
3. National and local enabling policy conditions support secure community rights over natural resources and the development of sustainable community-based enterprises (CBE).

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• Capacity development of 370 NRM groups[1] to engage in tenure formalization and sustainable NRM through training for action and coordination; Tenure of at least 100 NRM groups are secured through legal status; NRM groups exercise their rights over natural resources through the implementation of NRM plans; Stakeholders have capacity in NRM planning and management to support community-based livelihood interventions.
• 50 NRM groups are assessed and trained for livelihood and enterprise development; Business capacity and support for planning and management are provided, and NRM groups have established self-sustaining and eco-friendly community-based enterprises (CBE) including strategies for participation of women and indigenous people; NRM value chains are established.
• Capacity development on natural resource policies and issues for authorities, civil society organizations and NRM groups is provided at national and provincial level; provincial landscape networks and platforms are supported and respond to the priorities of NRM groups; selected policies are advocated for to reflect community interests; position papers and case studies are documented and disseminated.

[1] For better readability, community forestry, community fisheries and community protected areas are summarized with the term natural resource management groups (NRM groups).

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

In close collaboration with local authorities PaFF successfully supported the development of 30 forestry and fishery communities reaching 5,300 households (16,000 people, 48% female). There were 18 community enterprises established to process and market honey, bamboo and fish, and to promote eco-tourism. Links with private sector actors along value chains were strengthened. PaFF supported capacity building of provincial authorities in landscape planning, management and financing, in coordination with sectors and stakeholders. PaFF partners contributed to natural resource management (NRM) reforms, such as the community fishery sub-decree, environmental and natural resources code, agriculture land law and eco-system mapping of biodiversity conservation and management areas.

Forestry and Fishery Administration

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ministry of Environment, EU, BMZ, IUCN Netherlands. SDC country programme (CHAIN, SNDD, SDP), SDC regional programme (MRLG, RECOFTC), and SDC global programme (ASF-CC).

Phase 2 01.08.2017 - 30.06.2021   (Completed)