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PIP No:
890
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1. PROJECT NAME:
Lower Mekong Basin Wetland Management and Conservation Project
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ឈ្មោះគម្រោងៈ
គម្រោងគ្រប់គ្រងនិងអភិរក្សដីសើមអាងទន្លេមេគង្គក្រោម
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| 2. PROJECT DATES: |
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PROJECT START :
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ESTIMATED COMPLETION :
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4. RESPONSIBLE MINISTRY:
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RESPONSIBLE UNIT:
Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation in General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection
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អង្គភាពទទួលខុសត្រូវ:
នាយកដ្ឋានអភិរក្សតំបន់ដីសើមទឹកសាប នៃអគ្គនាយកដ្ឋានរដ្ឋបាលការពារ និងអភិរក្សធម្មជាតិ
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5. PROJECT STATUS
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DETAILED PROJECT INFORMATION
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6. TYPE OF PROJECT:
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7. SOURCE OF PROJECT FUNDING:
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| 8. THE POLICY AREA OF THE PENTAGON STRATEGY PHASE I THAT THIS PROJECT FALLS UNDER: |
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| 9. THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROJECT TO ACHIEVE THE ABOVE POLICY: |
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Contributed to the achievement of the rectangular strategy as results of safeguarding the natural resources of Lower Mekong River Basin Wetlands especially Prek Toal Ramsar Site and improved living standards of local communities through livelihoods assistances, ecotourism and biodiversity conservation. |
| 10. Support to Cambodia Industrial Development Policy |
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Does this Project support to the implementation of the Cambodia Industrial Development Policy?
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11. SECTOR:
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| 12. PROJECT LOCATION: (Describe the location of the project and its components.) |
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| 13. PROJECT OBJECTIVE: (Describe the major purpose of the project.) |
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The Project concerns sustainable management and conservation of Wetlands in the Lower Mekong Basin. The purpose of the Project (outcome level) will be twofold:
The national components to be implemented by the Kingdom of Cambodia and Lao PDR shall have the following objective:
a) Contribute to sustainable rehabilitation, conservation and management of wetlands ecosystem services while improving the livelihood of local communities in selected wetlands sites.
The regional components to be implemented by MRC-S shall have the following objective:
b) Contribution to the enhancement of the regional wetland knowledge base and information sharing.
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| 14. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: (Provide a description of the project and all its components.) |
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The present Project consist of three distinct, but closely linked components (“the Project”): one regional component (to be implemented by the MRC-S) and two national components (to be implemented in Lao PDR and the Kingdom of Cambodia).
For Cambodia, Stung Treng and Prek Toal Ramsar site and its adjacent are project site under the Cambodian Component. The following Project activities shall be financed under the Cambodian Component from the Financial Contribution:
Output 1: Management plans developed in a bottom up and coordinated manner, and approved by responsible agencies and communes. Major activities are:
- Develop and approve guidelines for integrated management of wetlands;
- Produce integrated five-year management plans for wetlands protection, conservation, and sustainable use and community areas;
- Develop replicable packages for improved wetlands management.
Output 2: Wetlands management is improved through co-operative management approaches. Major activities are:
- Implement integrated and sector wetland management plans (local authorities, communities and responsible agencies);
- Confirm and demarcate site boundaries;
- Demarcate management zones with posts and signs;
- Improve protected area infrastructure;
- Execute patrolling with strong participation of communities;
- Support existing or formation of new community fisheries (CFi) and community protected areas;
- Support livelihood activities for wetland dependent communities (e.g. through improved productivity of fisheries, forestry and agricultural production);
- Improve social infrastructure;
- Assist communities to prepare and execute business plans for ecotourism;
- Tender and construct and run visitors centres
- Rehabilitate wetland vegetation and forest habitats;
- Reduce stream and river bank erosion.
Output 3: The capacity in sustainable wetlands management of responsible management agencies, communities and other stakeholders is strengthened in line with the Ramsar mechanism. Major activities are:
- Enhance capacity of Ramsar Committee members and other responsible government staff as well as Community members;
- Assist Ramsar Committees to monitor compliance within management zones
- Support improved school education in the Ramsar sites on wetlands ecosystem services and values;
- Develop and implement monitoring system (e.g through routine monitoring and special studies);
- Support wetlands management related decision making in project wetland sites and associated communities by monitoring data collected on site in association with data provided through the MRC Wetlands Database;
- Provide training and support in extending the successful Ramsar site management practices to other Ramsar sites
Output 4: Sustainable financing of protection of wetland resources and biodiversity is ensured. Major activities are:
- Assist MoE to finalize and implement the ecotourism business plan for the Prek Toal core area. Develop and establish legal system ensuring that local revenues gained in the Ramsar sites (e.g. entrance fees, other tourism income) is used for management of Ramsar sites
- Collect revenues
- Replace project funding of protected area management through local revenues (especially patrolling) to a gradual increasing extent.
Currently the output 4 concentrates especially on Prek Toal Core Area.
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| 15. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION: (Give reasons why this particular project is considered worthwhile.) |
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This is to contribute, MRC effectively and competently supporting member countries in the sustainable management of basin challenges, particularly those arising from hydropower development and climate change (impact level). The management of wetlands often lies with a number of different agencies with overlapping responsibilities. The legal framework while improving is usually disperse among different laws and policies and the development of more effective wetland management practices that can be replicated and disseminated regionally would help to conserve the wetlands in national level when those benefit to region and global. |
| 16. BENEFITS (Who will benefit, directly and indirectly, from the project?) |
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National and sub-national authorities will benefit from the project implementation through capacity building programs that will improve and strengthen the management of the Lower Mekong Basin Wetlands especially Prek Toal Ramsar Site in Battambang Province. Those are at national level included Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation in Ministry of Environment, Department of Fishery Conservation in Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery and Cambodia National Mekong Committee; and sub-national level included provincial authorities, Department of Environment and Fishery Administration in Battambang Province.
This project is mainly considered on enhancement of the capacity of local communities to manage the wetlands for sustainable development and sustainable science. At Prek Toal, there are five villages are located adjacent or close to the boundary of Prek Toal Core Area/Prek Toal Ramsar Site, in Tonle Sap Multiple Use Area/the Buffer Zone of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. These villages are subsistent communities permanently floating within the Tonle Sap floodplain. Over 10,000 people live in these communities and many people in the floating villages are ethnic Vietnamese.
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| 17. FEASIBILITY STUDY |
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Is a "Feasibility Study " for the Project requied?
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If YES, has it been carried out?
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| 18. SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: (Briefly describe the effects of the project, if any, on the people and the surrounding environment. Will the project assist in alleviating poverty?) |
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The project will change attitudes and thinking of the local communities through awareness raising program, environmental education and alternative job creation. The community protected areas would be formed or transformed from the community fisheries which they are all ownership to the wetlands. Ecotourism and livelihoods assistance would bring better living standard and change of the perception of the local communities. However, there would be lightly adaptive and developed a cultural exchange of the tourists and local residents in the long run.
Reduce the pressure on natural resources in Ramsar Sites when local people are aware of the important wetlands and wise-uses concept. Flooded forest and wildlife, water quality and waste management will be continuously monitored and effectively actions will be taken to protect the environment and biodiversity in Ramsar Sites. The conservation of large waterbirds and migratory birds are sustained when enhancing ranger patrolling, permanent watch of the breeding colonies and the habitat restoration program are undertaken and widely replicated.
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| 19. CLIMATE CHANGE |
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a. Is any activity or output of the project related to Climate Change?
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If Yes, please indicate
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b. How is the project relevant to Climate Change?
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Please select a Climate Change related sector of the project and fill up the contribution of the climate change related expenditure compared to the total project cost.
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Climate Change-Related Sector
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Percentage
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Climate Change Relevance
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11. Biodiversity and conservation | ១១. ជីវៈចម្រុះនិងការអភិរក្ស
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80
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Very Significant
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| 20. DISASTER RISK REDUCTION |
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Is any activity or output of the project related to Disaster Risk Reduction?
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If Yes, please indicate
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| 21. GENDER ANALYSIS: (How does the project affect the roles of the men and women in the project area? Will women be actively involved in the implementation of the project?) |
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Both man and woman are involved with the project implementation and carrying out the key activities through alternative livelihood assistance, ecotourism and conservation programs. However, most of member of the saving groups is woman and employing aquaculture, home garden and other business which is not far from the home but man will take part in the consultation, advisory and ensure the sustainability of the business. Woman and man will be considered equally in the participation in the development of the management plan and annually work plan of the project through awareness raising and consultation workshops/meetings. |
| 22. CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT: (Does the Ministry have the skills and experience required to implement the project?) |
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Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation in General Directorate of Administration for Nature Conservation and Protection has capacity to implement the project under the cooperation with line ministries, sub-national authorities and international consultants who have contract with Project Executive Agency and National Project Management Unit or Ministry of Environment.
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| 23. STATUS OF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: (Provide a brief update on the progress of the project to date. Discuss any major problems causing delays in project implementation.) |
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Financial Agreement and Separate Agreement between Kingdom of Cambodia and KfW Development Bank were signed on June 14, 2016. By April 2017, GITEC as international consultant was selected and contracted for providing services on the project management which is based in Department of Freshwater Wetlands Conservation/Ministry of Environment. However, GITEC office was just set up in February 2018 and it will be functioned when office equipment maybe installed in coming month.
National Project Management Unit and Provincial Project Implement Offices for Prek Toal Ramsar Site in Battambang Province were established on October 9, 2017 by MoE’s decision with total of 26 staffs including park rangers and provincial technical officers. The staffs of those offices were primarily nominated by the project implementing agencies namely MAFF, CNMC, and MoE. Many staff of the sub-national authorities especially fishery and environmental department have engaged in the project implementation and responsibility although the project activities have not been implemented and annually work plan and budget for 2018 were just developed by NPMU in cooperation with all implementing agencies and NGO partners/service providers.
The Project Steering Committee was also established on November 7, 2017 with 11 members appointed from MEF, MoE, MAFF, MOWRAM, MoT, CNMC, TA and deputy governors of Battambang.
At the end of December, NPMU have submitted 2 official letters to Ministry of Economic and Finance. Those include the letter requesting to authorize three officials for the project management and disbursement of the fund as representative of the Cambodia and another letter requesting to open the bank account in two separate banks. One account is Cambodia National Bank and ACLEDA bank.
However, the project is not fully operated, being process to open the bank account for the project.
Before December 25, 2017 NPMU finished interim work plan and budget plan and submitted to KfW for no objection and line agencies for reviewing and comments.
NPMU has prepared annual work plan and budget plan for 2018 and developed list of project staff with salary complementary proposal. The annual work plan and budget for 2018 discussed through the consultation meetings that were held on January 29, 2018 and February 8, 2018, respectively.
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24. PROJECT PRIORITY
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(Please indicates the priority ranking of the project decided by the ministry/agency.)
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2
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| 25. DONOR INVOLVEMENT: (Provide any information on current or potential donor involvement in the project.) |
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The donor always changed its’ spiritual and influence on the project implementation especially selection of the service providers/consultant and financial management.
Acleda Money exchange on 3 May 2019 (1EUR = 1.1050USD). The budget plan were revised on 13 Jan 2020 and waiting for endorsement from donor.
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| 26. REFERENCE: (Please upload the project documents, MOU, or agreements with funding agencies including MEF.) |
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Part B: Project Costs and Funding Sources
( In US$’000 )
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