Commune’s Fish-rearing Project Promotes Livelihood of Real Poor
A fish-rearing project is successfully promoting livelihoods of the very poor in Kampong Klaing commune. Located adjacent to Tonle Sap lake in Sotr Nikum district about 46 km away northeast from Siem Reap provincial town, the commune has a population of 1,861 families, 42% are poor and the very poorest. More than 80% of the populations are fishers.
In 2008, in response to the need of local people and in order to prevent depletion of natural resources, the local commune council came up with an idea for a fish-rearing project. The Asia Development Bank funded 8 fish-raising projects with 160 beneficiaries who were selected by a drawing among 785 poor families in the commune. The eight projects were implemented in ten villages, with each one costing $5,000.
The projects were put out for bid, but service contractors were not found. Therefore the commune council proposed to Siem Reap provincial governor for an exemption to the usual procurement policy. The commune council negotiated with potential partners, and asked Neary Khmer, an NGO working in partnership with the commune since 2005, to implement the projects.
Fish-rearing groups were established. Fish-feeding cage, baby fish, and medicine were provided to the target groups after they were trained in fish rearing techniques.
Sem Chamroeun, 48, is a fisherman with five children in responsibility from Spean Veng village. He just makes ends meet from his traditional fishing, and has to borrow money from money-lenders when his family members become sick. He also has no money to repair his old and battered house. In December, 2008, he received 20 kg of baby fish and fish grains after training in fish rearing.
In spite of some learning difficulties, Sem Chamreoun increased his fish stock to 300 kg after four months of raising, and sold them for 1,140,000 riels ($278). He used $138 to buy materials to repair his house, and spent $140 to buy more baby fish to raise.
Monthly meetings between the fish-rearing groups and the commune council are organized in order to follow up the fish-rearing projects and to report its situation, said Chan Taen, Neary Khmer Executive Director. The meetings are also aimed to ensuring that fish-rearing groups buy baby fish to replace the ones they harvest in order to sustain the program, its original investment, and the benefits it brings to the community. In the original agreement, the beneficiaries promise to buy baby fish to feed for the second phase in order to sustain their income.
Pa Bou, Kampong Klaing commune chief, said it is the first time that commune council implemented a service project, and they have learned from the experiences and the challenges they face. “Service projects are complicated, but they really respond to the real needs of poor people,” he said. The commune is now implementing a sewing project, which will benefit 36 poorest families in the commune.
(Source: D&D Bulletin, the publication of the Commune Council Support Project, Volum 8 No.7, July-September 2009)