CEDAC Organized Project Introduction Workshop at Ratanakiri Province

By Heang Thira,

On February, 19, 2010 CEDAC, in Ratanakiri province, in cooperation with ETEA foundation for Development and Development and Partnership in Action (DPA organization) organized a project introduction workshop titled “Strengthening Agricultural Producers and Local Institutions for Developing Rural Areas in Ratanakiri” which is funded by Spanish Agency of International Development Cooperation (AECID). This is the second project for CEDAC-DPA and ETEA Foundation for Development that receive fund from AECID. The workshop was held at CEDAC-ETEA Office for the first two days and at the Meeting Hall of Build Bright University for third day.

The purpose of the workshop was: 1) to present the outcomes of the first project and find out lessons-learnt for improving the new coming project, 2) to present new coming project to all partners CEDAC-ETEA-DPA and other Line Government Departments, 3) to find out synergy cooperation among all partners, 4) to present the AECID rule.  There were 21 participants include 4 females participants attended the workshop, including CEDAC staff and marketing trainee, DPA staff, ETEA staff, PLAU, district governor  and commune council. Mss. Silvia Sanjuan, from ETEA foundation for Development was a main facilitator of this work shop.

As a result, the workshop enabled the participants to understand the achievement of the first project and the problems faced during the implementation and try to find lessons-learned for improving the second project. The participants, especially the 3 partners also understand the new project. On the other hand, the discussion among each partners enabled those 3 partners to continue and strengthen their cooperation for the implementation of the second project.

Lack of Clean Water, Sanitation Costs Millions: Group

By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
03 August 2009

The lack of clean water and sanitation is costing Cambodia around half a billion dollars every year in poor health and a loss of tourists, a study has found.

In a discussion titled, “Water is Medicine,” Jaehyang So, manager of the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program, said that a study commissioned by the organization on economic impacts caused by the lack of water and sanitation shows that Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam lose around $9 billion every year.

“All of a sudden, the lack of sanitation became not a problem of the poor person that doesn’t have access to sanitation, but it became a real constraint to economic growth in the country,” she told an audience of health experts and policymakers last week in Washington.

In Cambodia, knowledge and access to sanitation and clean water are limited, while less than 30 percent of rural population has decent latrines. But advocates say their knowledge about sanitation has increased in the past year due to many campaigns to raise their awareness.

“Nowadays we focus our campaign on three points: firstly, building rural toilets; secondly, washing hands with soap after going to the toilet and eating food; and finally, drinking safe water and keeping their water at home safely,” Chea Samnang, director of the Ministry of Rural Development’s rural sanitation department, told VOA Khmer by phone Thursday.

Diarrhea is still the main disease caused by a lack of sanitation and clean water and is a leading cause of death in Cambodia and other countries around the world.

So said poor health, disease and the loss of tourists who won’t come to a country without proper sanitation cost Cambodia $488 million a year.

“With this information the government could truly understand that in addition to providing sanitation for every household and every citizen of Cambodia…they could not afford not to provide that sanitation, because without sanitation Cambodia was losing seven percent of GDP,” So told VOA Khmer.

Experts estimate that the lack of sanitation and clean water kills some 1.5 million children every year worldwide, while even small investments to counter the problem can save lives.

Participation of Samakum Kaksekor Samaki Mean Chey in CIP development process

By: Yi Kimthan

Samakum Kaksekor Samaki Mean Chey, known in English as the “Farmer Solidarity Community”, was found on 3rd February 2006. The CBO is located in Angkor Chey I Village, Damnak Kantout Khang Tboung commune, Kampong Trach district, Kampot province. There are 5 groups under the umbrella of the farmer association (FA) with 103 members, 60 of whom are women. To date, the association has been able to mobilize the capital through collective savings up to 22 million riel for providing loans to their members.

The main activities of CBO are:
• collective Saving for Self-Reliance (SfR) ;
• promoting agro-ecological innovations and conducting action research
• promoting natural resource management;
• present a voice to commune council in order to articulate the issue of the community in to CDP and CIP;
• promoting community business such as a community shop,
• mutual-help group
• rice bank

Since the establishment till October 2008, the CBOs had been working more on development and dissemination of agriculture innovation and the promotion of collective saving. It means that more activities related to income generation were carried out by CBOsb They also did not work closely with commune councils as well as they did not understand what is CIP? Why they needed to attend in the CIP development processes.

The CBO has cooperated and registered with CSPPM since October 2008. During the cooperation with the project, the project staff regularly provides training, coaching and follow up advice to build the capacity of CBOs to enable them to raise a voice to CC, attending on natural resource management and promoting community business. So far, the training topic raised by the project is shown as follows:
• How to write proposals and project management;
• CBO management and CBO planning development;
• How to raise a voice to CCs and others;
• Community business concept;
• CIP process and participation.

After cooperation with the CSPPM, Samakum Kaksekor Samaki Mean Chey and Damnak Kantout and commune councilors have improved the communication and cooperation, especially in the CIP development process. On the other hand, the CBOs are being recognized by commune councils and villagers as the actors that are playing very important roles in community development. By this recognition, there are more villagers interested to join. Thus, the number of members increased from 72 to 103. Additionally, the CBO also facilitated to form the youth group.
On the other hand, CBO executives also attended the monthly meeting of commune council to lean about CIP process as well as to present on CBO progress and problems within the community During the monthly meeting of commune council, CCs shares on commune’s activities,achievement and their work plan as well as on C/S fund and NRM-L fund that government has allocated to their commune.

By attending in monthly meeting of commune councils, Mrs Chey Siyath, leader of CBO said that Damnak Kantout Khang Tboung Commune has annual budget around 104 million riel with including 66 million riel is allocated from C/S fund, 24 million riel is allocated from NRM-L fundand the rest come from community contribution, birth and wedding registration etc. The NRM-L fund that available at the commune is only 21.6 million reil as 10% of total budget was allocated to provincial administration.
Furthermore, during the step 1 of CIP process, meeting at commune level and village level, Mrs chey Siyath raised some community proposal such as water gate construction for irrigation (vegetables, early rice planting…), improvement of natural resource management as the natural resource, improvement of the marketing for community products such as rice, potatoes, taro, peanuts etc. On the other hand, Miss Pech Sineth, the representative of youth group, raised some problems of youth such as school abandonment , migration, and non- attendance in both family and community work; she also suggested CCs to consider some alternatives such as providing vocational training, supporting both funds and ideas to youth group for education and occupation. As the result, issues raised were put into table 1.1.

In short, we observed that voice of this CBO is increasing noticeably. Based on the indicator of CSPPM, “voice” has three dimensions: Voice Awareness, CSO Structure and Voice Action. So all activities done by the CBOs can meet to the indicators of CSPPM such as:
• Awareness of CIP development process, awareness of the existence and amount of earmarked NRM funds and awareness of how to access those funds;
• Active participation in CIP Process, through the raising of issues and real needs of community through attending in at various CIP meetings at commune and village level and monthly meeting;
• Level of formality of structure and size, especially the size of membership and percent of female membership.
By interviewing, Mr Chheum Neth, chief of Damnak Kantout Khang Tboung commune council, “This year I am very happy because I observe that the representative of CBO attended in meeting at commune both monthly meeting and CIP process. Based on the meeting, I could know and learn a lot from CBO such as progress and workplan and had a chance to present them on the activities and plan of commune council as well. On the other hand, I have strong cooperation and communication with CBO executive members to ensure a good information flow between commune council and community”, Mr Chheum Neth said.

Since the cooperation with CSPPM, CBO impressed that they are gaining more knowledge and have a better understanding on how to develop a proposal, why CBOs need to develop work plan, and what is the importance of participation on CIP development processes. They are also more aware of the natural resource advantages. The cooperation and communication with CCs has increased remarkably and CCs also have strong support to CBOs.

Animal feed processing business

Written by Mr. Him Neun


With the supporting grant from EU and EED, CEDAC has been implementing Poverty Reduction among subsistence rice farmers through the promotion of sustainable livelihood system (PRS-EU) project from January, 2008. The project will finish in December, 2010. The project covers in 260 villages of four districts in Takeo and Kampong Speu provinces.

The project has providing technical supports the small scale farmers in organizing collective buying and selling group especially animal feed processing enterprise.

As mentioned above, on July 18 2009, Romon village Beung tranh khangcheung commune Samrong district, Takeo province was selected as a target village of the project, an animal feed processing was established with technical assistance from the project. There are 9 members (1 woman) with start up capital of 3,000,000 Riels (did not include the price of milling machine).

The main objectives of this business are:
- To increase income (as a result of higher price, reduced losses and stable markets)
- To supply animal feeds to markets by empowering the bargaining power between the producers and middlemen,
- To strengthen the relations among of folder growers and feed processors who are interacting together in the process of animal feed producing.

Up to now, 2 times of milling are operated with the quantity of 400 kg. It is expected that this business will operate successfully as the farmers in the village are strongly need animal feeds for the enhancement of their family's livestock production.

Rubber Tree Growing in S. E. Asia Expanding, Along with Risks

July 27th, 2009
Written by Michael Ricciardi
Eco Worldly Unrestricted expansion of rubber tree plantations in South East Asia could lead to “devastating environmental effects”, according to authors Ziegler, Fox and Xu writing in a May, 2009 perspective article in Science.

Throughout the “montane” (foot hill and low mountainous) mainland of South East Asia (inclusive of Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and China), rubber plantations are expanding. So far, an estimated half million hectares have been planted, and by 2050, that land mass area could triple. This expansion will come at a cost to broad leaf, evergreen forests and “swidden” areas (with vegetation from older slash and burn efforts).

Replacing both primary and secondary forests, the authors assert, will have an impact on long-term bio-diversity (creating “permanent monocultures”) and reduced total carbon biomass (note: forests derived much of their carbon biomass from uptake of atmospheric CO2).

Much of the current planting of rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis, aka Para Rubber trees, whose sap is pure latex) is along sloping land areas and on foot hill and mountain sides (often converted to step agriculture) which naturally channel water into streams and lakes at lower elevations. The danger and risks from this expanding agricultural effort are many, and include: accelerated erosion of soil cover, excess stream sedimentation m(due to repeat cultivation on slope without adequate conservation), increased landslide risks (due to permanent conversion and road building), depletion of streams and lakes (due to irrigation needs), and decreased water quality (from pesticides and fertilizer runoff). Many of these risks and hazards–including permanent loss of forest cover–have already been encountered by farmers growing palm oil mono-cultures further into the interior of this region.

Perhaps ironically, these risks come on with a near half-century effort to mitigate, diminish swidden, slash-and-burn practices that were believed to be at the time quire environmentally destructive. Although these older practices did have some environmental and ecological consequences, over the years it has become clear from observation and studies that these consequences (in this region) were not as negative as once expected. Collectively, these various nation’s policies to move away from these practices (which are also less industry-efficient ones) and establish more productive cultivation systems, is resulting in far more harm, according to the authors, than the previous swidden agriculture base.

Scientists now must focus their research on studies of evapo-transpiration and hydrology (total water use) in these forests to determine real environmental impacts. The governments of Cambodia and Thailand are currently conducting such studies and it is hope that other nations will follow suit. Also, efforts are underway to expand reserve areas to preserve biodiversity and carbon biomass. Some have sugested paying farmers not to cut down the evergreen forests. The authors cited here also suggest encouraging “diversified agro-forestry systems” which permits extensive planting of rubber and palm oil trees, but not as monocultures. These systems represent a sort of “hybrid” compromise between total preservation of all forested areas and the creation of monoculture plantations, which produce a myriad of negative ‘eco’ and ‘enviro’ effects.

Agricultural Development Cooperative

Written by Nhep Mengcheang,


Sahakum Akpiwat Kaksekam Angkor Dong Tung, named in English “Dong Tung Rice Agricultural Development Cooperative” was found on 6th November 2008. The CBO was registered as “Agricultural Development Cooperative” on 08th June 2009 with Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA). The cooperative consists of 55 members, of whom 18 are women. This CBO is located in Trapaing Rosey Village, Damnak Sokrom Commune, Dong Tung District, Kampot Province. The objectives of establishment this cooperative are shown as follows:

• To buy and sell collectively paddy
• To mill paddy for rice selling
• To conduct collective saving and to provide credit service
• To promote agro ecological innovation
• To communicate and negotiate with business man in terms of price negotiation

Since October 2008, CEDAC started implement the project, namely CSPPM to support this CBO. By the support, the CBO was registered with CSPPM on December 2008. After registered, the project provided more coaching and training sessions and follow up support to CBO executive members as follows:

• Strengthening the CBO on practical management and leadership;
• Facilitating the CBOs to assess what is real needs of their members and priority of those needs;
• Training CBO on proposal writing;
• Facilitating the development of small grant project on community management for submission to CRS;
• Training CBO executive members on CIP development process and how to participate and raise voice or advocate to stakeholders for putting more emphasize on natural resource management and community business.

Although CBO was formed and recognized by Commune Council for improving the need of community both food and price of goods; but it has not yet been supported by government line agencies, especially the Provincial Department of Agriculture (PDA). Additionally, executive members and community are working collectively on rice business (collective buying and selling), but the CBO have not yet have enough voice for an effective negotiation on business and officially recognition from the PDA. By understanding of the problem, the executive members with the technical support from CEDAC have consulted with the community farmers on how to increase/raise voice to businessmen and line agencies. Based on the consulting meeting, first CBO should be registered as “Agricultural Development Cooperative”, in order to
publicly announce to stakeholders and products, especially line agencies, local authorities and businessmen.

By supporting fund from small grant of CSPPM, the CBO organized the general assembly to finalize the regulation and election. During the general assembly, Mr Mak Seung, Director of Department of Agriculture Extension, Mr Chan Jesda, Director of Kampot PDA, Dr Yang Saing Koma, President of CEDAC and local authorities have also participated in the meeting.
Based on the result, Ministry and Department of Agriculture understood and recognized CBO. Additionally, CBO was registered and recognized officially as “Angkor Dong Tung Agricultural Development Cooperative” by the PDA of Kampot on 8th June 2009.
Being as “Agricultural Development Cooperative”, the CBO could be supported by MAFF both technical support and financial support. Actually, on 8th July 2009 the CBO was funded 1,500,000 riel for first stage from MAFF. In addition, MAFF and PDA promised to provide further support both technique and fund.

Since the cooperation with CSPPM, this CBO members impress that they are getting better in terms of knowledge and understanding on how to solve the problem, how to develop the proposal, what is the importances of cooperative registration as well aware of advantages of collective business and the natural resources. The cooperation and communication with line agencies has increased remarkably and PDA also have strong supported to this CBO.

Progress report of climate change negotiation in Bon

Click here to download the document on climate change...

The document is very useful and helpful to learn about the negative effect of climate change to the human being... I think that it is really good that CEDAC has been strongly working to promote family ecological agriculture, it is a long term sustainability. As we have recently discussed during the meeting of FNP, there are many agriculture techniques promoted by CEDAC and all of them are significantly contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, based on the document, I could learn well about the advantages of the ocean to the people livelihood, it is closely connected to the livelihood of the people as the world’s oceans cover over two thirds of the Earth’s surface and contain over 90% of the world’s biomass. Furthermore, I could know that because of the climate change, about 200 million people worldwide could become climate migrants by 2050, etc.