The Asian Development Bank (ADB), with support from the Government of Japan through the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific is implementing the regional technical assistance (TA) project, Investing in Climate Change Adaptation through Agroecological Landscape Restoration: A Nature-Based Solution for Climate Resilience in Cambodia, Bangladesh, and the Philippines. The project emphasizes forest restoration, agroforestry, and agroecology measures that build climate resilience, enhance biodiversity, and offer improved livelihood opportunities to communities.

In Cambodia, the TA is working with the Royal Government of Cambodia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry Administration. The International Centre for Environmental Management and World Agroforestry Centre are providing technical support to the project, alongside a nongovernment organization partner, Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

Extensive restoration work has been undertaken with community forest members in the Sangker River Basin headwaters in Battambang Province. The project has demonstrated methods to rehabilitate degraded forests, restore and manage critical drainage corridors, control erosion, conserve biodiversity, and improve livelihoods.

Transcript

Restoring Nature for Livelihoods and Climate Resilience in Cambodia

Forest and landscape restoration play a pivotal role in building resilience to climate change in livelihoods and ecosystems.

In Cambodia, forest and landscape restoration have basin-wide implications.

Hydrological modelling of the Sangker River has shown that downstream hydropower and irrigation reservoirs are suffering from significant sedimentation due to forest loss and erosion in the headwaters.

Further downstream, Cambodia’s second largest city, Battambang, experiences frequent flooding and drought due to the disruption of natural hydrological patterns.

The Asian Development Bank, with support from the Government of Japan through the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific, is working with the International Centre for Environmental Management, World Agroforestry, Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, and the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry Administration to help build local capacity in implementing innovative climate change adaptation interventions through agroecological landscape restoration and restoring and managing climate-resilient landscapes for food security.

Five demonstration sites were selected in the headwaters of the Sangker River Basin in Battambang Province, with one site within the Samlaut Multiple Use Area.

The restoration measures emphasized nature-based solutions to help address the challenges facing the sites.

Harnessing cutting-edge drone technology, the team employed aerial survey and field observations to assess site conditions and seedling growth and survival.

Access to adequate water supply and weeds were found to be the main constraints to the planting success.

The team provided training sessions in restoration techniques, erosion control, weed eradication, water supply systems, nursery management, and ecological agriculture livelihood skills such as beekeeping and crop diversification.

Eng Sreypich, Chief, Ta Kesh Community Forest

Our community is currently attempting to regrow trees to encourage more rain and bring back wild animals through habitat restoration.

So far, we have planted 2,005 trees.

We have learned how to select soils and fry them to kill germs.

We have learned how to keep the saplings healthy.

Our community can now use all of these techniques themselves.

The project has made comprehensive recommendations for the replication of the restoration work across the upper Sangker watershed as an essential strategy for flood and drought management, nutrient and soil loss reduction, and access to clean and reliable water supply.

Ta Kesh Community Forest Villagers

We can do it!

We can do it!