Environmental research

A one day VRA was conducted in September 2011 with 52 participants. Analysis of CC trend and VRA concluded that climate pattern in the last four decades, particularly the last decade, has increasing adverse effects on livelihood in the three villages. CC has resulted in an increase in heat weave, more frequent and prolonged drought, and rainfall become irregular and less predictable. Lack of climate resilient rice varieties, poor soil, pest infestation, and diseases on livestock have become more prevalent. These have made local livelihood even more challenging now and in the future. In response to the above issues, the project will improve a reservoir in Por Phluk village by repairing a 1,200 m dike, 4m top width, 8 m bottom width and 1.25 m height, and fitting with 6 culverts at 0.6m diameter, and to establish a reservoir management committee to facilitate its management and water allocation. The reservoir will benefit 1,215 people, women 710, and 443 children in 270 households from the three villages with irrigating 205 ha dry season rice, an increase from now only 102 ha by 102 households. The project will also deliver training on selection of climate resistant rice strains and an improved farming practice for 338 villagers, 187 women, from 75 households, and also establish a rice bank in each village to ensure access by villagers to sufficient seeds and to continue such practice even beyond the project life. 1.2 Goal To improve livelihood of local villagers in Por Phluk, Snol, and Svay Kakab villages, Theay commune, Ba Phnom district, Prey Ven province, through CC resilient agricultural practice. 1.3 Project outcomes Outcome 1.1: Access to sufficient water in secured for 1,215 villagers, 647 female, and 444 children from 270 households in Por Phluk, Snol, and Svay Kab villages, for irrigating 205 ha rice filed through repair of dike in the 3 target villages; and Outcome 1.2: Sufficient drought resilient rice varieties available for farmers from the 3 target villages. 1.4 Key expected outputs Output 1.1.1 (Outcome 1.1): A dike 1,200 m long, 4 m bottom width, 8 m top width, and 1.25 m high, with 6 culverts at 0.6 m diameter, each 7 m long, are repaired and installed respectively; Output 1.1.2 (Outcome 1.1): Capacity built with 11 members, 5 female, of existing reservoir management committee for their effective functions; Output 1.2.1 (Outcome 2.1): Three rice bank established in the three villages; and Output 1.2.2 (Outcome 2.1): Monitoring and evaluation. 1.5 Key project activities Output 1.1.1 (Outcome 1.1) Activities - Convening a meeting with Theay Commune Council, village heads, and villagers in the 3 villages to announce the dike repair plan; - Facilitating a half day meeting with 15 members of Theay commune council, Chiefs of the three villages, 7 women, to discuss the establishment of a procurement committee and define procurement procedure, criteria for selection of contractor; - Organizing bidding process and entering in to contract with the winning contractor; - Repairing of a dike 1,200 m long, 4 m top width, 8 m bottom width, and 1.25 m high, with 6 culverts at 0.6 m diameter, each 7 m long; and - Conduct, with 25 participants, 12 women, including Theay commune councilors, contractor, and heads of the three villages, procurement committee and commune technical working group, a one day assessment and certify the completion of the service by contractor. Output 1.1.2 (Outcome 1.1) Activities - Facilitating a 2 days meeting with 17 participants, 7 women, including local authority, existing reservoir management committee, to develop a by-law, internal rule and water utilization plan; and - Facilitating 3 meetings with 35 participants, 17 women, from the 3 target villages in collaboration with local authority and reservoir management committee to approve and disseminate by-law, internal rule and water utilization plan. Output 1.2.1 (Outcome 2.1) Activities - Facilitating for 3 half day meetings with 35 participants, 17 women, from the 3 target villages to raise awareness of the importance of rice bank and to define criteria for selecting member for rice bank; - Facilitating 3 half day meetings in the 3 target villages in collaboration with local authority, with 35 participants, 17 women, to define criteria and elect 3 members, 2 women, for each rice bank management committee; - Facilitating a 2 day meeting, in collaboration with local authority, with 17 participants, 7 women, of rice bank management committee to develop criteria, internal rule and credit plan; - Facilitating for 3 meetings in the 3 target villages in coordination with local authority and rice bank management committee, with 35 participants, 17 women, to approve and disseminate the by-law, internal rule and credit plan; - Providing a 2 days training on management and reporting of rice seed bank for 9 participants, 6 women, from the 3 target villages; and - Providing fund to the 3 rice seed banks in the 3 target villages and advising on its operation. Output 1.2.2 (Outcome 2.1) Activities - Facilitating a one day meeting with 52 participants, in coordination with local authority, to assess erratic rainfall related vulnerability reduction through second VRA and compared with the first VRA; - Facilitating a half day meeting with 45 participants, 25 women, from the 3 target villages and relevant sectoral agencies and in coordination with local authority to review and transfer formally the project to local communities; and - En

Cambodia