Integrating Climate Smart DRM into Sustainable Livelihoods programming

Presented by: CEDAC and LWFThe Davis Hotel Bangkok

22nd -23rd .July.2010

Strengthening Climate ResilienceRegional Consultation Workshop

Background• Impacts of climate hazards in Cambodia: flood

and drought are the two main extreme climate events and occur every year in a number of provinces.

• Extreme drought in recent years has meant that farmers lack sufficient water for agricultural production.;

• Most farmer families have insufficient productivity to feed themselves, especially in the dry season

Drought Mapping in Cambodia

Civil Society Organizations and UN agencies interventions on drought

• CEDAC• LWF• Action Aid• Oxfam • Plan • World vision• ZoA • UN agencies • Etc ……..

Strategies

• Strengthening local leadership and improve governance for equitable and sustainable development

• Empowering communities to obtain improved and sustainable socio-economic livelihoods

• Empowering communities to conserve and manage natural resources in sustainable ways and to manage and mitigate disaster risk, including climate change adaptation

Project Interventions and Achievements

• Climate change and rice study: One of recommendations in the research is the promotion of Drought Resilient Agricultural techniques.

• Applied Drought Resilient Agricultural Techniques: Through public awareness and community needs, System of rice Intensification (SRI), Multi-Purpose Farms, DRIP, vegetable growing and animal raising.

• Case study collection and Farmer Magazine: Disseminate drought resilient innovations to others farmers in and outside areas through farmer magazines and case studies collection .

Multipurpose Farm

System of Rice Intensification (SRI)

Project Interventions and Achievements

• Participatory Action Research (PAR): The Involvement of farmers in all stages of the research can lead to increased adaptive capacity of farmers.

• Community Based Organizations established and functioning as structures with mandate for disaster management, and innovation development and dissemination.

Project Interventions and Achievements

• Mobilized community resources for implementing small-scale drought mitigation: Community ponds, family ponds, open wells, small canals and dams, water gate, water wheel, water jar ..etc

• Reforestation: Awareness raising conducted to promote tree planting

• Promoting improved cook stoves (reducing firewood consumption)

Project Interventions and Achievements

• Promote access to small scale economic opportunities & education: through improved access to saving groups (65 saving groups formed with 709 USD per group), set up of community owned groceries shops

• Linking farmers to markets: promoting organic rice cultivation, establishing rice producer groups, community based rice mill.

Project Interventions and Achievements

• Increase public awareness of climate change and disaster risks:1. Counseling cards on drought resilience agricultural technique developed and disseminated2. Posters developed and disseminated on what community members should do before, during and after drought.

3. Radio program on promoting climate change adaptation and DRR

Challenges

• Drought occurs more frequently, presumably affected by climate change• Communities and local leaders have

limited capacities to cope• Advocacy to duty bearers to assist

vulnerable communities in disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change.

Lesson Leant

• Strong grassroots community based organizations and networks are able to mobilize and strengthen mutual help when the community members face physical and financial crisis;

• Participatory Action Research approaches build the confidence of farmers to apply innovations;

• Drought resilient agriculture techniques provide a high potential for Cambodia to mitigate disasters and adapt to climate change

Publication

• Climate Change and Rice Study;

• Case studies on drought resilient agriculture techniques;