Situation

Introduction and Challenges

The South-East Asian country of Cambodia is home to 15 million people, many of which have endured the negative effects of a traumatic recent history. A civil war, the deadly Khmer Rouge Regime, rife government corruption, crippling poverty and social difficulties have left the nation with many challenges as they pursue a more stable and positive future. However, the impacts of another serious challenge, irregular global weather patterns more commonly known as climate change, is looming on the horizon. For a country which relies heavily on the natural environment and resources to survive, the issue of climate change is incredibly serious and requires action at all levels. Climate change is impacting many rural livelihoods for both the current and future generations and intervention and safeguarding against these impacts calls for immediate action. This projects aims to build local mitigation strategies to cope with changes in rural areas in the following two primary ways:

• Re-forestation and forestry resource management education. 
• Sustainable household water harvesting and water security for agricultural production. 

Forest Resource Management Impacts

Cambodia has one of the worst deforestation rates in the world. Cambodia's primary rain forest cover declined from more than 70 percent between 1970 and 2007; and deforestation rates in Cambodia continue to accelerate. In total, Cambodia lost 2.5 million hectares of forest between 1990 and 2005, 334,000 hectares of which were primary forest (FAO 2007). As of March 2012, economic land concessions in Cambodia covered more than 2 million hectares, equivalent to over half the countries arable land (Cornell University 2012). Figures regarding rapid de-forestation and economic land concessions indicate that there is little intent to replant forestry or foresight to use natural resources in a sustainable fashion.

Picture taken 2003
Preah Vihear Province

Picture taken 2005 in the same location

As forest land becomes scarcer, the few national parks and protected zones become increasingly under threat.  This threat has become reality, with many land concessions from May 2011 being granted within protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Some species of trees such as rosewood are literally being driven to extinction. Dalbergia (Rosewood) is one species that has been decimated in the last five years and ‘loggers’ are now only able to find old stumps and roots which fetch large sums of money on the black market. Many companies receiving concessions state that they will replant rubber, cassava or sugar cane and some do while others are simply taking the wood and then declaring bankruptcy. Many negative effects are expected due to de-forestation, including widespread flooding and erosion in now barren land. Rainfall patterns are also likely to shift and previously forested provinces are likely to experience a rise in temperature. At the household level, there will soon be no more timber for building and even firewood may become scarce.  The rapid de-forestation in Cambodia is of serious concern and this project will directly intervene in this issue, assisting in re-forestation and educating the local population about the benefits of preserving their natural resources in a sustainable fashion while developing a medium to long term income generating asset.

Boeung Pey Wildlife Sanctuary, Preah Vihear Province
May 2011

Same spot June 2011

Same spot November 2011

Household and Agriculture Water Security

Seventy percent of Cambodia’s population are involved in the agricultural sector and are at particular risk to the negative effects of climate change. While the neighboring countries of Thailand and Vietnam have extensive irrigation systems, almost all of Cambodia’s farmers rely totally on rainfall to sustain their crops (mainly rice). There are very few operational dams to divert water to crops or to hold back flood waters. Cambodian farmers are at the mercy of the natural elements; and with increasingly irregular weather patterns due to climate change, intervention is needed to help farmers safeguard against these irregularities which often ruin or heavily reduce yields.

Nationally many families are now using cleaner sources of water than 10 or 15 years ago with more water jars and tanks to collect rain water. However, many remote areas have not yet developed these resources and have been overlooked by government or non-governmental organization support programs. Many villages still haul their water from creeks on a daily basis, even in the rainy season. Many families have only small water jars or 30 liter plastic jugs for storing water. This means that families, especially women, spend a significant amount of each day simply getting water for cooking the next meal. With more deforestation, water supplies in streams and creeks can also be inconsistent. Rainwater harvesting and storage is an intervention needed to help families have more efficient water management.