Introduction
Cambodia National Mekong Committee (CNMC) cooperates with MRC Member countries and National line agencies to implement the Mekong River Commission WB funded Mekong-IWRM Project (M-IWRMP) by coordinating for national and transboundary projects preparation and implementation that relate to water resources development, monitoring and management in Cambodia and between Cambodia and Viet Nam in Se San and Sre Pok river basins and in the Mekong Delta; fisheries management in Mekong mainstream and Se Kong river between Cambodia and Lao PDR; and Communication Outreach project between Cambodia and Thailand on Tonle Sap and Songkhla lake.
The Communication Outreach project that was prepared by CNMC and TNMC, they strongly believe that it will provide mutual benefits derived by bridging Tonle Sap Lake of Cambodia and Songkhla Lake Basin of Thailand, linking the people of the two lake basins. Both CNMC and TNMC share the strong conviction that long term social and environmental sustainability through IWRM process can be promoted through the establishment of a forum where people of the two lake basins can communicate and share their knowledge, good practices and learning experiences.
The project outlines for fine-tuning and consolidation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) modalities, aiming at good governance in support of healthy and prosperous lakes and lake basins in the project area of Tonle Sap in Cambodia and Songkhla in Thailand.
The implementation of the Communication Outreach project will be overseen by CNMC and led by Tonle Sap Authority. The project implementation will start by stakeholders “inception” Workshop which will invite different keys stakeholders from line agencies involved.
Project outcomes, outputs and key activities
This project proposal covers the following outcomes that will contribute to the achievement of the overall project objective:
Outcome 1, Programme management: Improved project management and administration, including internal organization administration, as well as communication and involvement of public agencies, working partners, other relevant actors and international donors.
Outcome 2, IWRM-based governance: IWRM-based governance strengthened and consolidated, in collaboration among agencies, water users and other stakeholders, and with appropriate knowledge-sharing among management levels and among sectors.
Outcome 3, The future of resource-based livelihoods: Improved understanding of social, economic and environmental cause-effect relationships and policy options in support of sustainable, resource-based livelihoods.
Outcome 4, Healthy lakes: Understanding built and awareness raised among agencies and residents about why and how to achieve and preserve a healthy state of the environment. Social marketing initiatives identified and implemented on a pilot basis.
The four project outcomes consist of several outputs and activities, which are foreseen to be implemented and developed in parallel. However, the interaction between the activities and outputs will be crucial to ensure the project’s objective achievement. Therefore, potential synergies between them need to be exploited to the highest possible extent.