Members of the Srey Chek fishing community pull in a fresh catch on the Tonle Sap Lake in Pursat province. Agriculture ministry/FAO
The EU is exploring new ways to support the 250 communities which are involved in the CAPFISH-Capture programme. After five years of operations, it will wind up this year, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) revealing that a new project is in the works. The new effort will be known as “Sambo Trey”, or “plentiful fish” in Khmer.
Koen Everaert, EU deputy head of cooperation to Cambodia, discussed the new options with journalists, as they visited the Srey Chek fishing community, in Pursat province’s Kanhchor commune, in Kandieng district.
The community is one of 250 of the more than 500 nationwide which are supported by the EU-funded CAPFISH Capture, which is implemented by the Fisheries Administration (FiA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, with technical support from the FAO.
“We have been supporting the fisheries sector for more than 20 years. At the moment we are looking to options for something beyond December 2025. This will require some more time and will also look different. Of course we will look to options to keep on supporting these communities and that's why we have set up this specific budget support operation to pay the communities through the treasury not directly through the EU anymore,” he explained.
“We're looking to other options also. So I think in the coming weeks we have to make up our minds and talk to the authorities and our headquarters. We'll come back on that in the weeks and months to come,” he added.
Koen Everaert , EU deputy director for cooperation in Cambodia, speaks to the media during a visit to a fishing community. Agriculture ministry/FAO
He noted that Cambodia has come a long way and will very soon be graduating from least-developed country (LDC) status. Everaert explained that it is important that the cooperation and partnership between the Kingdom and the EU take another shape, as when (Cambodia) becomes a middle income country the collaboration will be different.
He also said they are more looking for private sector engagement and win-win situations for both Cambodian private sector enterprises and European investors.
The agriculture ministry organised the two-day visit, which saw an EU delegation, FAO representatives, local authorities and the media gain insights into the CAPFISH-Capture programme. The visit was also part of the ministry’s Earth Day celebrations.
Ministry undersecretary of state Im Rachana, who led the visit, explained that the support of the programme has helped many communities develop both their capabilities and potential. In addition, fish production has increased and the community has saved a lot of money.
“They are managing their funds well, depositing it in banks and using the interest to support patrols, crack down on environmental crimes and for reforestation. This is the result of technical support from partner organisations, under the cooperation between FAO and the FiA,” she said.
An EU delegation, FAO representatives and authorities meet with members of the Srey Chek fishing community on April 30. Phak Seangly
She added that the CAPFISH-Capture programme helps to ensure the sustainability of both freshwater and saltwater fisheries, particularly around the Tonle Sap Lake.
Key activities of the programme include providing $1,000 annually to each of the 250 supported communities, building capacity in financial management and planning for community development, combating illegal activities, setting up community boundary markers and restoring flooded forests. The programme also delivers training to core trainers in 20 provinces and provides technical assistance to the FiA.
The Srey Chek community has a total population of 2,048 and spans 2,696 hectares. It currently has $7,500 in community savings, which are deposited in a bank and with community savings groups, according to Duk Sokha, head of the community management committee. Both he and other community members have appealed for continued support from the EU or other development partners.
Mon Sokhoeun, 63, has been a member of the community patrol group for the past 19 years. He also appealed for the programme to continue, noting that more fish would improve family livelihoods and help conserve rare species for future generations.
“I want it to continue because it has helped increase our fish yields. If support continues, yields could increase even more,” he explained.
The delegation also visited the Kampong Prak fishing community in Sna Ansa commune of Krakor district, which is also part of the programme.
Pen Sokhum, head of the community, highlighted progress in fish conservation, improved livelihoods and community development thanks to the programme’s support. For this reason, he and local authorities have strongly requested continued support from both the EU and FAO.
The total budget allocated for the CAPFISH-Capture programme was over $20 million, including $18,961,800 from the EU and $1,093,144 from the FAO. It was launched in August 2019 and is scheduled to end in December this year.
Agriculture ministry undersecretary of state Im Rachana speaks to the media during the visit. Agriculture ministry/FAO
Rebekah Bell, FAO representative in Cambodia, described how the organisation has been working with the FiA for more than 30 years.
“We are kind of like an old married couple,” she said, adding that FAO provides world-class technical assistance to help support the activities of the FiA, but that it was only possible through European support.
She explained that the EU-funded Catfish project is one result of that very long-term stable partnership which has improved the quality of capture fisheries, particularly inland fisheries in Cambodia.
“At the FAO, we look forward to our continuing technical partnership with the communities, with the provincial governments, agricultural ministry and the FiA. We look forward to continuing our long-trusted relationship,” she said.
What I can say to you is that the FAO, at the request of the Royal Government of Cambodia, are working with the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Ministry of Environment, and the agriculture ministry to hopefully bring a longer term project to Cambodia, in the next year or two,” she added.
The new programme is expected to provide long-term sustainable support to community fisheries and the restoration of flooded forests and other critical fishing waterways.
Bell said the “Sambo Trey” project is likely to be the next step in an ecosystem based response to improve fisheries, and will require communities and government institutions to work together.
The agriculture ministry’s Rachana encouraged communities to continue the activities introduced by the CAPFISH-Capture programme, even after it ends.
She expressed the hope that the EU will consider other projects which will continue to support the ministry, but noted that local communities have the ability to grow and not just survive on their own, but to grow and become more resilient.
