Project Description
Cambodia frequently experiences floods and droughts that significantly impact rural communities, especially through loss of life, damaged crops and livestock, and destruction of infrastructure. While floods tend to receive immediate attention, agricultural droughts—often occurring even during the wet season—have become increasingly prevalent and pose a serious threat to food security. In response, ICEM supported Agrifood Consulting International (ACI) on the ADB-funded Community-based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) and Farmer Water Users Community (FWUC) Support project in Pursat Province. The project, guided by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM), focused on empowering communities through non-structural, resilience-building measures.
Objectives, Activities and Results
The project aimed to enhance community-level resilience to flood and drought while improving irrigation management via strengthened Farmer Water User Committees (FWUCs). ICEM’s role involved training provincial to village-level stakeholders in flood and drought risk assessment and response planning. Safer Village and Commune Plans were developed and updated, with communities implementing tailored risk reduction measures. Local Coordinating Committees were established to oversee CBDRM efforts, supported by trained facilitators and technical experts. A locally adapted CBDRM model was created to guide ongoing risk reduction planning and improve community preparedness and response capacity in the face of recurring climate hazards.
