Heng DaDeputy Country Programme CoordinatorRECOFTC Cambodia

Regional Land Forum “Bringing Land Governance into ASEAN economic integration”

RESULT THREEMaking a difference on the ground for people and forests through the

demonstration of proven practices

RECOFTC in Cambodia

Mission and Vision

Mission: To enhance capacities for stronger rights, improved

governance and fairer benefits for local people

in sustainable forest landscapes in the Asia-

Pacific region.Vision:

Empowered local people are effectively and

equitably engaged in the sustainable management of forested landscapes.

RECOFTC – Thematic Areas

Securing Community Forestry; Enhancing Livelihoods and Markets; People, Forests and Climate Change; and Transforming Forest Conflicts.

All thematic areas are implemented with a focus on aright-based approach in three principles: strong and secure right, good governance and fair benefit.

History of CF Development

1994 First Community Forestry site established in Takeo province

2002 New Forestry Law enacted enable participatory approach to forest management to be adopted. and opened space for CF to gain legality

2003 Community Forestry Sub-Decree approved by MAFF

2006 The CF Prakas approved by MAFF2010 National Forestry Program (2010-2030)

enacted with include national CF Program that committed 1000 CF over 2 million hectares of forest by 2030

Number of CFs against official agreements and CFMPs as of 2015

10

100

200

300

400

500

600

499

328

55

Number of CF sites

Number of CF sites received

official agreement

Number of CFMP approved

CFMP (Community Forest Management

Plan)

, cover area of 417,635ha

, cover area of 296,240ha

, cover area of 33,741ha

Where RECOFTC Works in Cambodia

RECOFTC contributes to CF development in Cambodia

Developed capacity building and training materials supporting CF development – formalization, management planning, etc..

Conducted capacity building needs assessment for CF development

Contributed to Capacity needs assessment for National Forest Programme

Trained more than 10,000 participants on CF development related courses. Participants were forestry administration officials, NGOs staff, local authorities, CF members.

RECOFTC contribution to Cambodia CF development

• Establishment of over 250 community forests of the country’s 499 CF

• Formalization of 193 CFs out of 328 CFs in country

• Development of Community Forest Management Plan for 220 CFs, of these 55 CFMPs approved

• Support establishment and functions of CF network in nine (9) provinces out of 21 provinces

RECOFTC contributes to CF development in Cambodia

• Development of the CF programme under the National Forest Program 2010-2029

• Development of the Cambodia REDD+ Roadmap and National REDD+ Strategy

• Initiate the review and revision of Guidelines for Community Forestry

RECOFTC contributes to CF development in Cambodia

• Reactivation and support to the National Community Forestry Program Coordination Committee (NCFPCC) and establishment of Provincial CF Program Coordination Committees (PCFPCC);

• Participation in the Technical Working Group on Forestry Reform (TWG-FR) and Task Group on CF, the National Working Group on Wood Energy and, Cambodia Working Group and Cambodia REDD+ Consultation Group

Lesson Learnt

Community Forestry (CF) scheme is a key part of efforts to reduce forest loss in Cambodia and poverty reduction.

CF contributes to secured tenure for villagers over forest, preventing forest from conversion to other forms of land uses that would not benefit villagers. In addition, CF provide opportunity for household to secure their use right (small plot plantation etc.) through a locally accepted agreement.

Community forest are potential legal source of timber in the long term – community forest management plan that depict timber harvest will be among a few sources for legal timber in Cambodia

Lesson Learnt

Majority of community forests are degraded when allocated for villagers to manage and use that provide limited livelihoods benefit for them.

Some limits are found in current CF related legal frameworks in terms of incentivizing villagers to invest in CF management in a long run. These include the terms and duration community forestry management agreement (15 years), minimal right of use of the forest such as limited commercialization of timber until 5 years after officials approval of management plan, complicated processes for villagers such as highly technical community forest management – inventory, prolonged approval by Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries as potential CF area

Local people hold the key to healthy forests

Thank you!