Right to Food | Oxfam in Cambodia

Context

Majority of Cambodian people perform agricultural activities and enjoy the country’s national resources for their daily family’s income generation. Therefore, Cultivable land is considered as the most important asset for the poor as it serves as an important means for their food and income needs. Increasing large scale agriculture investment through economic land concession and land concession for mining exploration mechanism, population growth and land-grabbing have increased land conflict. This has resulted in landlessness, diminished access to common natural resources, and are also seriously undermined coping mechanisms of marginalized groups, including women and indigenous people (IP) who rely and depend on natural resources which is contributing to poverty and jeopardizing food security of rural households.

The various policies that negatively affect the welfare of Cambodia’s rural poor are often related to policies around Economic Land Concessions (ELCs) and Mining concessions. ELCs is currently covering 53% of Cambodia’s arable land. The lack of transparent, accountable and meaningful participatory process in land and natural resources governance is a major challenge in Cambodia.

Right to Food (R2F) in Cambodia supports women and men, especially indigenous people community on land tenure security to realize their rights to take control of and gain benefit from Cambodia natural resources (land, water, mining, forest and fishery) and secure sustainable livelihoods.

Approach

Right to Food (R2F) is working towards achieving the following specific outcomes:

Improved policies of the Government
Improved policies of private sectors
Increased citizen’s voice
Building stronger and wider Alliances

Oxfam and partners are also strategically working at sub-national and national level to achieve the expected outcomes.

Capacity development to small-land holder farmers, especially women, on relevant laws/policies related to natural resources.
Support IP communal land titling (CLTs)
Strengthen and build community networks
Work closely with both government agencies and private sectors on natural resources related policy development as well as inclusive business operations in Cambodia.
Support and engage in policy dialogue, debate related to natural resources with and for poor and vulnerable farmers and communities in Cambodia for the better policies and enforcement.