Agricultural improvements, enhancement of small livestock husbandry techniques, and livelihood development will help all families to improve their livelihood strategies as well as provide them with the resources needed to implement the PLUP Agreements, benefiting all within the community.
Around 199 families will be targeted and involved with the implementation of sustainable land management to increased livelihood security through increased sustainability of agricultural production, animal husbandry techniques, and integrated home gardens by the village, as well as continued access to forest resources, continued constructive relationships with government and strengthened ability to protect these areas against deforestation. Increased productivity and reduced vulnerability of livestock systems, leasing to reduced poverty.
Policy Influence
In April 2007 the Andong Kraloeng village committee became recognized as one of the first three villages in the country to register as ?Indigenous Communities? - a key step towards registration of their traditional lands. The WCS/FA/CRDT team is now cooperating with the Provincial Department of Land Management to implement temporary registration of these lands in Andong Kraloeng using the District State Land Identification and Mapping Sub-committee ? this is one of the first villages in the country where this will take place.
In O Rona, the draft PLUP agreement was agreed by villagers and commune and presented at village level in a workshop in December 2007. It was endorsed and is now with the pDoE for review.
Capacity - Building Component
The ?Rural Development and Sustainable Agriculture in Support of Participatory Land Use Planning and Biodiversity Conservation Phase II? will focus upon building village capacity to manage their land and forest resources sustainably by building upon agricultural and small livestock husbandry activities introduced by CRDT in 2006. These activities will continue to be incorporated into the existing framework provided by the PLUP plans through close consultation with the NRM Committees.
Implementation will focus on a holistic range of training courses and participatory learning. Training will focus on different segments of the community as appropriate, including model farmers, mothers, care-givers, village elders and elected community representatives. This will not only cover agricultural issues, but also include water and sanitation, community involvement in participatory development, and understanding and developing community attitudes towards livelihoods.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
The final project report will be produced which details the progress made and lessons learnt throughout the project including Livestock health situation analysis, PLUP progress reports, monthly activity reports, field-trip reports and agricultural technical reports. An edited version of this will be produced for public dissemination, as appropriate.
A workshop will be held in Mondulkiri, to communicate the provisions of the village land-use plans, which will also discuss lessons learnt through the PLUP process, and the opportunities for expansion.
All documentation produced as part of this project will clearly state the role of the donors, and include all relevant logos and acknowledgements, as appropriate.
Gender Focus
The project is to continue to engage all members of the community, and to provide women (and especially women-headed households) with equal opportunities to take part. CRDT works in very close collaboration with villagers, becoming a part of day-to-day village life during its activities, and in our experience, this is key to encouraging equal involvement. The implementation team will include at least one woman and the Andong Kraloeng village NRM committee have several women members, both factors that will strengthen the gender inclusive approach. A special effort will be made to include women-headed households amongst the model farmers. This will make sure that the methods we test are suitable for them.
Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
This project will continue to focus upon Andong Kraloeng, a largely Phnong village with 93 families (approximately 400 people), in Sen Monorom commune of O?Reang District. The project will also continue to extend its activities to O?Ronaa village, which consists of 106 families (about 500 people), mostly Phnong, with some recent Khmer settlers in Sre Khtum Commune, Keo Seima District. Both of these villages are located within the core area of the Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area of Mondulkiri Province.
Project sustainability
To ensure the feasibility and long term sustainability of project activities, the project team should consult with all project stakeholders prior to implementing any activity to get a clear understanding of the local needs, culture, environmental factors and conservation implications of any given activity before deciding to pursue the activity.
While initially it is necessary to provide project beneficiaries with needed materials to implement projects, the project will be much more successful if the project team gradually moves away from providing materials directly and more towards facilitating communal structures and organization so that communities can continue to manage, maintain and/or expand project activities after project completion. This will also help to develop a greater sense of ownership over project activities and thus further contribute to the sustainability of activities.
Project Results
Both PLUP committees have increased their capacity to conduct routine land management activities (such as collation of information, resolution of small within-village issues and liaison with local law enforcement teams). Regular monthly meetings are held in each village between the PLUP committee, WCS/FA staff and CRDT team members. At these meetings there is an exchange of news and detailed discussions of specific issues. The committees have also become more skilled in dealing with external threats. Andong Kraloeng village, in particular has become a widely recognized example of a successful community. In both villages land use by villagers has remained consistent with the agreed land-use plans.
The CRDT Field Team worked with villagers to create 20 SRI Demonstration Plots and 17 Cover Crop Demonstration Plots in Andong Kraloeng and O?Ronaa Villages. Also, 32 integrated home gardens were established and 127 families began growing vegetables at their chamkars.
8 families in O?Ronaa also constructed irrigation systems made from PVC pipe and hand pumps which run from their open wells.
In total, 20 meetings/trainings on SRI techniques and cover crops were held as were 20 meetings/trainings regarding vegetable production. In addition to formal trainings/meetings the field team also conducted continuous one on one monitoring, evaluation, and training at chamkar field sites.
Trainings included lessens about how to grow vegetables and rice, how to make compost and manure tea fertilizer, weed control measures, integrated pest management techniques, as well as soil preparation and maintenance.
The CRDT Project Team conducted 18 formal meetings/trainings for villagers to teach about techniques to improve the health of chickens, pigs, and cattle. Beneficiaries also received support and technical assistance from field staff as needed during the year. 24 families are currently involved with chicken raising activities.
In addition, 2 external study tours and 1 internal study tour bringing people from Andong Kraloeng to visit Group 1 of O?Ronaa were implemented to view families who have embraced and are benefiting from chicken raising.
4 pilot frog ponds were also trialed by families in O?Ronaa and another 6 families are raising earthworms to feed frogs and chickens.
The village vets received 2 formal training sessions and received continued hands-on monitoring and training throughout the project implementation period.
