Outline of the Project

Project Name

The Project for National and Sub-national Capacity Development for Sustainable Natural Resource Management

Subject

Natural Environment Conservation

Country

Cambodia

Date of R/D signed

March 18, 2020

Project Site

Phnom Penh and Stung Treng Province

Term of Cooperation

October 14, 2020 to October 13, 2023

Implementing Organization

General Directorate of Administration for Nature Concervation and Protection, Ministry of Environment Forestry Adminstration, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Background

In Cambodia, approximately half of its territory is covered by various types of forests such as evergreen forest, deciduous forest, inland flooded forest, mangrove forest and so on. As habitats for rare and endangered species, carbon sinks contributing to the global warming mitigation and indispensable supply sources of foods and daily commodities for the life of local residents, the great value and the importance of the sustainable management of them has been widely recognized for many years.

However, compared to the neighboring countries in the Mekong region, Cambodia has recorded a worsen deforestation rate in recent years. The forest rate has been continuously reduced from 59% in 2009 to 47% in 2018 (Ministry of Environment, 2020). The major causes of deforestation are land use conversion for cash crop cultivation, illegal logging and unsustainable use of forest resources. The deforestation has resulted in increased soil erosion and reduced biodiversity bringing negative impacts to rural areas where 80% of the population live. Besides, seeing from a broader perspective, the deforestation and forest degradation would increase carbon emission and accelerate the global warming.

With the support of the international community, the Royal Government of Cambodia has continued significant efforts aimed at achieving a proper management of its valuable forest resources which have been put under the pressure of over exploitation and land use change. In the process, JICA has also play an important role as one of the major donor organizations for the forest sector in Cambodia. JICA began its support in this area by dispatching a policy advisor in 1999 followed by a ten-year technical cooperation project for the human resources development. In the next ten years from 2010, JICA mainly supported for the readiness phase of the REDD+ through providing equipment and implementing a technical cooperation project.

Utilizing the assets of JICA's previous cooperation, this project makes the national and sub-national government staff in charge of protected area management and sustainable forest management be equipped with necessary skills and knowledge for sustainable natural resource management through policy support at central level and sub-national implementation at provincial level, aiming that the related policies and key measures are formulated and implemented to reduce deforestation and forest degradation in Cambodia.

The Overall Goal

Deforestation and forest degradation are reduced through formulation and implementation of related policies and key measures for strengthening protected area management and sustainable forest management.

Project Purpose

The national and sub-national government staff in charge of protected area management and sustainable forest management is equipped with necessary skills and knowledge for sustainable natural resource management.

Output

[Component 1: Policy support]

1-1.	Formulation and implementation of related policies and key measures on protected area management is promoted.
1-2.	Formulation and implementation of related policies and key measures on sustainable forest management is promoted.
1-3.	The Action and Investment Plan for the Implementation of the National REDD+ Strategy is promoted.

[Component 2: Subnational implementation]

2-1.	Provincial staff's capacity for promoting protected area management and sustainable forest management is enhanced.
2-2.	Local communities' capacity for sustainable natural resource management in the selected Community Forestry (CF) and provincial rangers' capacity for supporting local communities' sustainable natural resource management in Community Protected Areas (CPAs) are enhanced.

Project Activities

1-1-1.	Assist in promoting the Action Plan for Implementing the National Protected Area Strategic Management Plan (NPASMP).
1-1-2.	Assist in enhancing the capacity of National and Sub-national staffs to implement the activities based on the Technical Guideline for Developing Management Plan for Protected Areas.
1-1-3.	Assist in addressing emerging issues on the National Protected Area Management.
1-2-1.	Assist in promoting the Production Forest Strategic Plan (PFSP) (under drafting).
1-2-2.	Assist in addressing emerging issues on the sustainable forest management.
1-3-1.	Assist in promoting the Action and Investment Plan.
1-3-2.	Assist in enhancing the National Forest Monitoring System (NFMS).
1-3-3.	Assist in promoting JCM-REDD+.
2-1-1.	Develop and implement training plans for capacity enhancement of provincial staff.
2-2-1.	Select one pilot CF.
2-2-2.	Conduct activities in the selected CF.
2-2-3.	Develop and implement training plans for capacity enhancement of provincial ranger.

Inputs

Japanese side

Long-term Experts (Chief Advisor/Forest Policy, Coordinator/Capacity development)
Short-term expert (Forest Monitoring and others upon necessity)
Machinery and Equipment (Vehicle, office equipment, equipment for field activities and others upon necessity)
Training in Japan and/or third countries
Local expences including part of costs for field surbeys in pilot sites

Cambodian side

Services of the Counterparts personnel and administrative personnel
Suitable office spece with necessary furniture
Running expenses necessary for the implementation of the Project