This project encompasses all Morodok’s work under the current 3-year phase.  It is funded primarily by Bread for the World, based in Germany, with other funders covering the cost of smaller project elements within the larger project.

Much of the rural population living around Kampong Som Bay depend on natural resources to supplement their livelihoods. Most subsist on traditional farming, but rely also on fish and other aquatic resources and a range of forest products.

 

Although Cambodia is rapidly developing, in some rural areas poverty is becoming more entrenched as inequities in asset ownership and access to common property become more problematic, populations grow, traditional income activities decline, and ecosystems fall into disrepair. Effective approaches to socio-economic development and conservation are needed.

Morodok promotes community-based natural resource management and livelihood development as ways to increase local empowerment, to improve the sustainability of rural livelihoods, and to achieve both environmental and development objectives.

The project’s objectives are:

1. The food security of poor village families targeted by the project is improved.
2. Communities in 14 communes surrounding Kampong Som Bay have protected fisheries, mangroves and other natural resources in cooperation with government authorities.
3. Communities in 14 communes surrounding Kampong Som Bay have devised measures for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in cooperation with commune councils.

Morodok works with over 1,000 poor people, organized into around 155 interest groups, the majority (70 %) of which are women.  The interest groups are typically crop growing, small business and fisheries producer groups or savings groups, with a shared interest and living in the same location.  In each of the 14 target communes, the interest groups can access community-owned revolving funds to start-up, scale-up or restart their entrepreneur projects.  Each group is required to develop internal rules, regulations and business plans.

Marketing of the community products is assisted by a community business network, which helps producers to follow common production standards and standardized packaging and to find markets for their products.  Morodok is now assisting the business network to gain official status as an agricultural cooperative.

Morodok also works with 19 community-based organizations (CBOs) working on natural resource management covering 58,949 ha, including: 8 community fisheries, 2 community forests, and 9 community protected areas.  These groups operate in accordance with the requirements of the Fisheries Administration, Forestry Administration and Environment Ministry, respectively.  The groups include around 180 elected leaders (of which around 20% are women).   About 15,199 people (including 7,705 women and girls) are members of the CBOs and will indirectly or directly benefit from sustainable use of natural resources, eco-tourism, fisheries, and collection of non-timber forest products.

Bread for the World, based in Germany

 

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