Cambodia

Polders in Cambodia

Polders in Cambodia, Cambodia © MFF, 2015

Cambodia has its 440 kilometer-long coastline scattered with mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds and other coastal ecosystems which play a significant role in ecosystemproductivity and to people. These ecosystems are fundamental to the livelihoods of millions of Cambodians and to the nation as a whole. Not only do they perform an essential role in supplying people with fish, a staple food rich in protein for Cambodians, but are also vital to coastal protection, tourism and biodiversity.The conservation and management of mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds are therefore vital to the sustainable management of coastal and marine fisheries and to ensure Cambodia’s people continue to gain economic, cultural and nutritional benefit from the resources. 

Cambodia's coastal and marine areas are biodiversity rich areas and have significant values of conservation value including marine mammals such as the dugong and marine dolphins, whale, marine turtles, crustaceans and mollusks etc. Natural ecosystems of mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass beds all provide a wide range of services to Cambodia—fishing for critical food resources, coastal protection, tourism and biodiversity. They also provide important natural habitats essential to sustaining the marine fisheries of Cambodia. Destruction of these natural habitats results in a loss of breeding, spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for many marine species, leading to a reduction in fishstocks and other coastal and marine fauna and flora and to serious impacts on human well-being.

Coastal wetlands in Cambodia have not received the same attention as freshwater wetlands. However, in the recent years, coastal wetlands of Cambodia have been gaining attention because it was recognized that many rural poor people are reliant on the collection of coastal resources for their livelihoods and household income generation (WI, 2012) and the significant roles healthy coastal ecosystems play in reducing vulnerability to hazards by supporting livelihoods and in acting as natural physical buffers "natural infrastructure" to reduce the impacts of hazard events (Sudmeier & Ash, 2009). Cambodia's coasts are facing issues due to 

  • Conversion of coastal land for agriculture and aquaculture
  • Over exploitation of fisheries
  • Urban development
  • Sand mining and dredging
  • Destruction and degradation of coastal habitats
  • Climate change

MFF in Cambodia
Cambodia is currently an MFF Outreach country, and in this respect receives general support for
preparing to become a full member country of MFF in the future

Cambodia is currently an MFF Outreach country, and in this respect receives general support for preparing to become a full member country of MFF. On 26 June 2013, the National Strategy and Action Plan for Cambodia was signed and approved by the Senior Minister, Minister of Environment of the Royal Government of Cambodia.

The Executive Board for MFF in Cambodia was established on 15 June 2012 and approved by the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia on 12 October 2012. The Executive Board is responsible for coordinating MFF in Cambodia and for developing and implementing coastal management initiatives at the national and sub-national levels. It provides provides a forum to foster improved dialogue, planning and decision-making between the different government agencies and non-governmental organizations involved in coastal management and development within the context of MFF and in relation to broader issues and concerns of coastal ecosystem management in Cambodia.

 

Related News

Asia’s largest coastal resource management programme sets sights on further growth

Bangkok, Thailand 06 Mar 2019

Country: Asia Region, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam

Topic: Civil Society Engagement, Coastal Governance, Community Resilence ...

The continuous application of Mangroves for the Future’s (MFF) knowledge and governance structures to leverage and scale up MFF investments, share knowledge and influence national policy development, is critical in contributing to sustainable coastal...    

New toolkit helps development practitioners integrate gender into sustainable coastal resource management in Asia

Bangkok, Thailand 08 Mar 2019

Country: Asia Region, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam

Topic: Capacity development, Civil Society Engagement, Gender equality ...

In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, IUCN, through its Mangroves for the Future programme, in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), have launched a ...    

Establishing Kep Marine Fisheries Management Area for Improved Management of Marine Fisheries Resources

Kep, Cambodia 28 Aug 2018

Country: Asia Region, Cambodia

Topic: Coastal Governance, Knowledge for Management, Marine Protected Areas

On 12 April 2018, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of the Royal Government of Cambodia issued a Ministerial Proclamation, announcing the establishment of the Kep province’s Koh Por and Koh Tonsay Archipelago Marine Fisheries...    

Featured Projects

Installation of mangrove protection signboards

Building capacity of local community on Mangrove management in Tuol Torteung commune

Duration:

Location: Tuol Torteung Commune, Prey Nub district, Preah Sihanouk province.

Topics: Capacity Building , Capacity development

MFF Grant Amount:    

Climate-smart integrated vegetable farming

Livelihood Diversification for Farmers through applying integrated adaptive farming system (LDF)

Duration:

Location: Tuol Torteung Commune, Prey Nub district, Preah Sihanouk province.

Topics: Capacity Building , Capacity development , Sustainable Livelihoods

MFF Grant Amount:    


Duration:

Location:

Topics:

MFF Grant Amount:    

Featured Film - Planting Mangrove Trees For A Better Cambodia - Volunteering In Kampot

Planting Mangrove Trees For A Better Cambodia - Volunteering In Kampot © Katherine Hilde

The mangrove forests along Cambodia’s coast support more than 100,000 fishermen and their families and create a diverse ecosystem that is home to hundreds of species. These forests play an essential role in supplying people with fish and are also vital to coastal protection, air quality and biodiversity. But the mangroves have been in decline for a decade due to human activities, including logging and filling the waterways with sand to create artificial land. Fishing communities say their livelihoods are also being affected by a 1,000-hectare special economic zone under construction in the province, including a seaport, a coal power plant and a hotel complex. Reforestation programs have made some progress towards restoring the forests. One of these is the Kampot Mangrove Forest. A wonderful project of a community of people that joined together to make a difference and replant Mangroves with the help of donations.

Project Locations

Cambodia Facts

Population Size: 14,952,665 (July 2012 est.)

Official Language: Khmer (95%), English

Coastline: Cambodia has 24 municipality and provinces, four of which are coastal provinces of Kampot, Kep, Preah Sihanouk and Koh Kong with its length of coastlines being 440 Km.

Marine and coastal habitats:  Coastal and marine ecosystems including mangrove forests, coral reefs, seagrass beds, salt marshes and estuaries are extremely important to Cambodia's economic development as well as local people.

Main Coastal Ecosystems: Mangroves (78,405ha), Seagrasses (33,814ha), Coral reefs (2,805.5ha)

MFF Geographical priority areas: Two coastal provinces of Koh Kong and Kampot have been chosen as the geographical priority areas of work under MFF in Cambodia. 

Related Events

MFF Phase 3 National Completion Workshops

Each MFF country 01 Nov 2018

ICM Training of Trainers

Asian Institute of Technology, Pathum Thani, Thailand 25 Jun - 27 Jul 2018

13th Regional Steering Committee Meeting

Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh 25 Oct 2016

View all related events »

Related Images

  • Regional Completion Workshop
  • Setting our the daily catch for drying, Phuket
  • Blue swimming crabs collected from MFMA,
  • Workshop participants at Trapeang Sangke mangrove rehabilitation site
  • A healthy reef ecosystem in Koh Rong NMP
  • Public education on gender issues
View all related images »

Related Publications

Gender Analysis Toolkit for Coastal Management Practitioners

Author: MFF, SEI, SEAFDEC

Publisher: Mangroves for the Future

Posted on: 7th Mar 2019

Category: Asia Region (Secretariat)

Size: 1.5 MB

Gender in coastal and fisheries resource management: A Regional Synthesis Report

Author: MFF, SEI, SEAFDEC

Publisher: Mangroves for the Future

Posted on: 7th Mar 2019

Category: Asia Region (Secretariat)

Size: 3.7 MB

View all related publications »

Share This