Environmental research

VRA was undertaken on 15-20 September 2011 in 6 villages, of Angtaso and Thlork communes, Svay Chrum district, with 222 participants, 154 female. The participants were divided into four specialized groups: women, men, SHGs, and local authority. The VRA findings indicate that severe problems including prolonged drought, poor soil fertility, shortage of water, pest infestation, illness on human and animals, low crop yields, decline of natural fish stock, migration, children abandoning school are among climate related issues facing the poor community who do not have the necessary knowledge and resources for adaptation to CC. To address the above issues, CFED convened for a meeting with the community to develop an action plan to strengthen capacity of the existing committee for canal rehabilitation, and community capacity and provision of fund for the SHGs to expand their income generating livelihood activities through development of integrated home gardening, increasing farming index, vegetable and livestock farming, ensuring that the community have secured livelihood activities, increase in income, food security, opportunity to send children to school, reduce migration, reduce diseases on both human and animals as the basis for promotion of local livelihood and to contribute to local development in accordance with the government policy on poverty reduction. 1.2 Project goal: The target community has sustainable access to sufficient water for agricultural production to ensure food security and income generation and ability to adapt to CC. Objective 1: To provide 300 households in target area with access to water for irrigating 283 ha and for vegetable and livestock farming in both wet and dry seasons; and Objective 2: To improve knowledge on drought resistant agricultural practices for 300 farmers, 125 female, in 6 target villages. 1.3 Project outcome Outcome 1.1 (Objective 1): Access to sufficient water from 6 canals of 4,200 m by communities in 6 target villages for both dry and wet seasons irrigation; Outcome 2.1 (Objective 2): Farmers in target villages have knowledge on drought resistant integrated agriculture; Outcome 2.2 (Objective 2): Capacity developed among 12 SHG members and committee to manage and administer loan and finance and the members able to access the fund for expanding their income activities and thus reduce the need for making high interest borrowing from outside. 1.4 Expected output and major activities Output 1.1.1 (Outcome 1.1, Objective 1): Six canals totally 4,200 m, 4 m width and 1.5 m depth, including 500m, 500m, 600m, 700m, 1,000m, and 900m rehabilitated in Ampeo, Doun Tang, Rokar, Snang Kreang, Sandat, and Boeung Kriel respectively. Activities - Conduct, in coordination with local authority and provincial DoWRAM, meeting to announce the plan for canal rehabilitation; - Establish, in collaboration with local authority, procurement committee and guidelines for bidding for the canal rehabilitation; - Advertise for contractor; - Open the bids and select a winning contractor; - Sign a contract with the qualified contractor to rehabilitate the canals; - Rehabilitate the 6 canals, totally 4,200 m; and - M & E for the performance of the contractor. Output 2.1.1 (Outcome 2.1, Objective 2): Knowledge built among 30 model farmers on drought resistant agriculture and agricultural input (20 kg rice seed, 500 fingerlings, 6 varieties of vegetable seed) provided to farmers for household based production. Activities - Provide 5-days training for and demonstration of integrated farming with 30 households with new and high yield rice varieties, climate resistant vegetables, pig, chicken and fish raising and composting; - Provide agricultural input (10kg of Sen Pidor rice seed, 500 fish fingerlings, 6 varieties of climate resistant vegetables) to each of 30 model farmers; - Support for rehabilitation of household ponds, water distribution canals to the fields of the 30 model farmers; and - Implement a demonstration by 30 model farmers for other project beneficiaries. Output 2.1.2 (Outcome 2.1, Objective 2): Knowledge built with 150 farmers from 6 villages and their application with household climate resistant rice, livestock and vegetable farming. Activities - Provide 3-days training on development of integrated farming system for 270 households; and - Organize 2 study tours annually within target area.

Cambodia