Text by: Phanith Yip & Sokhan Sin | Edited: Ratha Ra

Takong Community Forestry, covering 18 hectares, is in Nam Tav commune, Phnom Srok district, Banteay Meanchey province. This Community Forestry was established in 1993 by the commune administration, villagers, monks, and elders with the support from a local not-for-profit organization and served 735 members from three villages: Khnang, Thnong khang Tboung and Takong vallges in Nam Tav commune.

The primary goal of Takong Community Forestry was to protect and preserve natural resources, including forests, non-timber forest products, and wildlife. However, the management committee—comprising nine members, including one woman—was appointed by the commune chief without formal election or official recognition, registration, or regulatory framework from the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Forestry Administration Cantonment. This lack of formal governance and regconition hindered the committee’s ability to address issues like forest land encroachment and illegal logging, relying mostly on occasional support from the commune authorities. 

In 2024, with funding from the Government of Ireland through Oxfam in Cambodia, the Village Support Group began implementing the Climate Resilience for All project. The initiative supports seven communities in Banteay Meanchey and Oddar Meanchey provinces, including Takong Community Forestry. This project aims to strengthen community engagement and build capacity, allowing management committees to connect with government institutions.

Through quarterly stakeholder meetings facilitated by the Village Support Group, relevant government institutions, communes, districts administrations and management committees met to discuss community issues and project progress. Through this platform, Takong Community Forestry management committees advocated for official registration and recognition. They consistently requested community registration from district authorities and the Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. In November 2024, they submitted official documents, including boundary demarcation, bylaws, and new committee elections, to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. After numerous follow-ups, these were approved and formally recognized on February 18, 2025.

“We have waited over 30 years for our community to be officially registered and recognized by law. This official acknowledgment from government institutions truly inspires and empowers us to continue safeguarding, protecting, conserving and enhancing our natural resources. These efforts benefit both community members and non-members, particularly poorer villagers who rely on seasonal harvesting of non-timber forest products for their livelihoods. We are deeply grateful to the Government of Ireland and Village Support Group for their valuable contributions and support.”

Mr. Sokhorn Chim, Committee Chief
Takong Community Forestry

Mr. Sakhorn Chim, the Committee Chief, said that this official registration and recognition empowers the community to protect and enhance their natural resources, benefiting both members and the poorer villagers who rely on seasonal harvesting. He expressed gratitude to the Government of Ireland and the Village Support Group for their support. He noted that the newly recognized management committee now consist of nine members, including five new members and 743 total members, 47% women. With bylaws and regulations in place, illegal activities have ceased in their community.

To further assist Takong Community Forestry, the Village Support Group, as part of the Climate Resilient for All project, will continue supporting the community. This includes capacity-building initiatives in areas such as management planning, climate change awareness, gender integration, carbon measurement, tree planting, agroforestry, and opportunities for income generation for the community committee and its members.