Listen to the audio version of this article (generated by AI).
A new three-year project, “Promoting Inclusive Livelihoods, Protection of Ecosystems and Climate Change Adaptation in Cambodia” (PiLEAC), by ActionAid Cambodia (AAC) aims to strengthen community resilience and protect the Tonlé Sap ecosystem.
Climate change has exacerbated the severity and frequency of floods and droughts in Cambodia and caused displacement, food insecurity and impacted livelihoods, ActionAid Cambodia said during its workshop on Monday, funded by the Royal Bank of Canada via ActionAid UK (AAUK).
“Women and marginalized people are disproportionately impacted by climate change in Cambodia. While Cambodia has made some progress in gender equality in recent years, Cambodian society remains patriarchal and women continue to face discrimination in many areas of their lives,” said in the statement.
The project identified that while environmental and climate change are crucial, the exclusion of local communities, women, persons with disabilities and smallholder farmers and fisherfolk, from decision processes and access to skills, hinders their ability to manage resources sustainably and respond early to natural hazards such as flooding.
Under collaboration and support from AAUK, AAC received a grant for the project which would directly support 1,000 people and indirectly impact 60,000 people through wider community benefits. It began with an “Inception Workshop” to launch the project with stakeholders, NGO partners and target communities.
Strengthening people and the ecosystem
Chan Sophoan, program and business development lead at AAC, said the project was developed in line with the organization’s strategy to address climate change and strengthen the resilience of local communities.
She said about 70% of people living along Cambodia’s Tonle Sap River basin depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, which relies heavily on natural systems. Climate change is affecting farmers who lack the means to adapt, she added.
“We also see environmental challenges becoming increasingly severe. This is a major issue that everyone is working together to address,” she said.
The three-year project will run from October 2026 to September 2029 in the Tonle Sap basin, focusing on Pursat and Kampong Thom provinces. It aims to help restore local ecosystems and strengthen the resilience of communities living in the target areas.
“We have identified several gaps that need to be addressed and strengthened, so we will work with 1,000 target beneficiaries,” she said.
According to the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), drought in July affected nearly 290,000 hectares of rice crops across eight provinces.
The NCDM also reported that heavy rainfall in September caused flooding in 10 provinces, affecting nearly 60,000 families. About 5,000 families were forced to evacuate to safety.
Floodwaters inundated approximately 150,000 hectares of rice crops, equivalent to about 5% of the country’s total three million hectares of wet-season rice-growing land.
Provide small grants
Sophoan said the project has three specific objectives. The first is to strengthen community governance and accountability and improve cooperation with local and national authorities.
Stronger collaboration would help protect the ecosystem at the Tonle Sap basin, which provide vital natural resources for local livelihoods, while supporting forest conservation in the two provinces, she said.
The second objective is to promote inclusive economic development that responds to people’s actual needs, regardless of their vulnerability. The project aims to strengthen household economies and improve community resilience.
“Community resilience means that, regardless of changing circumstances, people can remain strong and adapt to changing conditions,” she said.
The project will also strengthen food security through agroecological approaches, which Sophoan said were important in addressing challenges related to people’s daily food consumption.
It will work directly with women leaders in the target areas and help communities contribute to climate change mitigation and disaster prevention by improving preparedness and using early warning systems.
Sophoan said that there are two key activities that will support the project’s goals.
The first is to develop a priority map identifying key ecosystem conservation priorities and challenges in the target areas. The project will work closely with national and subnational authorities to discuss these priorities, monitor emerging issues and develop responses, she said.
The second is to organize campaigns to encourage participation and raise awareness among residents and subnational authorities.
To achieve its second objective, the project will build the capacity of women leaders and young people through training in agroecology, production chains and digital marketing. It will also provide small grants to target groups to help them develop and strengthen their communities, she said.
Struggle to maintain organic farming
Separately, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology recently renewed its warning of possible drought conditions from mid-October through early 2027.
The warning was based on monitoring and analysis of evolving global, regional and domestic weather conditions. The ministry said the 2026 rainy season was expected to end in the third week of October, while the El Niño phenomenon was forecast to remain at a 100% level through February 2027.
Phorn Bunna, a farmer from Pursat province, told CamboJA News that natural disasters, particularly floods, strong winds during the rainy season and droughts, were major challenges affecting crop production and farmers’ livelihoods. She said flooding could destroy crops and prevent farmers from transporting their produce to market.
Pest infestations are another challenge for farmers growing vegetables organically. Although farmers attended training sessions organized by partner organizations on how to make and use natural pesticides, Bunna said the methods appeared less effective than chemical pesticides. Nevertheless, farmers continued to use natural methods to maintain the quality of their produce.
“Chemical pesticides will definitely kill the pests, but because we grow organic vegetables, we have switched entirely to natural methods,” she said.
However, Bunna said the limited effectiveness of natural pest control methods had affected crop growth, leaving some vegetables poorly developed and less visually appealing. As a result, farmers’ produce received limited support from market buyers, despite being grown organically.
“Only a small number of people support our produce because they understand the quality of organic vegetables,” she said.
Seed quality and soil conditions also posed challenges for farmers. Bunna explained that seeds stored for two years could produce poorer yields than those stored for just one year. The soil in her area also contained a high proportion of sand, making cultivation more difficult.
“If we store seeds for one year, there is no problem, and the fruits are as good as those from the first year. But if we keep them for two years, the fruits are not good,” she said.
Although the commune has an agricultural officer, Bunna said farmers rarely received agricultural information or technical support from local officials. She said farmers needed practical guidance and knowledge to address the challenges they faced in cultivation.
Bunna hoped that ActionAid would continue supporting the community through training and by bringing in agricultural experts to share their knowledge.
Supporting other areas
Sok Visal, undersecretary of state at the Ministry of Rural Development, said about 90% of Cambodia’s population depends on agriculture, making it a key sector that requires support and investment.
However, the sector is facing serious challenges, particularly from climate change, including excessive rainfall and insufficient rain, which disrupt traditional farming practices, she said.
The project will help Cambodian communities prepare for and respond to climate change, improve their livelihoods and reduce migration, she said.
“When rural areas have larger populations, agriculture performs well and farmers can sell their products. The Ministry of Rural Development also supports various sectors, including infrastructure development and road construction,” she said.
“When we work together to address the challenges faced by people in rural areas, I hope that, in the near future, rural residents will enjoy a decent standard of living,” she added.