Restoring the river to secure water and agriculture in Cambodia (Svay Chek)

Cambodia, a rural country, is closely dependent on the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers, whose floods structure the lives of the populations. Highly populated floodplains are among the areas most vulnerable to climate change. This vulnerability worsens with the intensification of extreme events, threatening the development of the country. The Svay Chek River watershed, shared between Thailand (44%) and Cambodia (56%), is one of the most exposed. Located in the province of Banteay Meanchey, this agricultural area suffers from low yields, aggravated by rising temperatures and floods in 2020 and 2021 which led to up to 50% crop losses. Despite hydraulic developments, sustainably improving water management has become a central issue for climate change adaptation and territorial development.

The overall objective of the project is to contribute to economic development and food security in the province of Banteay Meanchey. It aims to fight against extreme climate events and contribute to the economic development of the territory by restoring their place to goods and services offered by natural ecosystems through a Nature-based Solutions approach. It will pursue four specific objectives at the scale of the Svay Chek watershed:

• Reduce the risks associated with extreme climate events (floods and droughts.
• Increase access to water for agriculture.
• Develop modern and sustainable production systems.
• Improve the integrated management of natural resources at different scales (community, watershed, transboundary). 

• Protect 100,000 inhabitants by reducing the risk of flooding in inhabited and agricultural areas.
• Extend irrigation to 12,000 ha and quintuple the cultivable area in the dry season (from 300 to 1,700 ha).
• Improve agricultural incomes by structuring value-added sectors and producing quality seeds.
• Preserve 210 ha of wetland ecosystems to limit erosion, improve water quality and store carbon, which will also generate benefits for biodiversity
• Ensure sustainable water management through nature-based solutions, training of water user associations and more inclusive local governance (35% women targeted).

Svay Chek’s project embodies a major innovation in water management in Cambodia, placing natural ecosystems at the heart of solutions. Thanks to the support of the FFEM, it implements integrated water management (IWRM), through investments based on nature, a strengthening of cross-border dialogue and a locally anchored agroecological transition. The project will also allow for the monitoring of impacts via a robust evaluation system. The project positions itself as a true demonstrator of good practices, combining ecology, innovation and sustainability.