NRD - Protecting Mekong Ecosystems North-east Rural Development (NRD) is provincial based non-governmental organization in Kratie province. It was established by building on the existing experiences and local capacity resulting from the achievements of community development project implemented by Oxfam Australia. It is working in all its target villages located along the Mekong River. Its commitment is to build the capacity for people including indigenous communities (Kouy and Phnong) to improve the way of managing the water and dealing with water issues for better livelihoods. NRM#s goal aims to develop Cambodia in peace, dignity and tolerance for environmental and natural resources sustainability for young generation. NRD envisions the society that respects human rights, people living with equality, equity, social justice, harmonization and environment friendly for the next generation. NRD supports community development in partnership with rural community in Cambodia, through encouragement and empowerment of local people, indigenous women and vulnerable people, community-based organizations (CBOs), local authorities using human rights approach and capacity development to better realize sustainable livelihood and dignity of living.

Recognizing the Mekong river system supports diverse fish and aquatic resources; many of the basin deep pools have been recognized as significant for fishery conservation and are designated fish conservation zones. In addition, the proposed target area, Boeng Char commune, Sambour district, Kratie province,is located along the Mekong, home of several deep pools in the area. However, the area faces multiple threats, including from hydropower dam both operating and proposed; three gold mining concessions which run the risk of polluting the river; and illegaland overfishing. The resultant declines in water quality and quantity, and in fish stocks and biodiversity, are already taking their toll on the community. The population in the area is growing, places increased pressure on both the remaining fishery resources and the surrounding ecosystems, as forest is cleared to make way for rice and cash crops. Women and youth next generation are shouldering most of the burden resulting from environmental degradation, asthey struggle to provide for their families withinadequate resources.
With funding support from Margaret A. Cargill Foundation (MACF) through Oxfam#s People Protecting Their Ecosystem in the Lower Mekong phase 3, NRD is implementing the project called #Effective Cooperation between Sambo Youth Network(SYN) and Community Fishery (CFi) in Protection of Fishery Resources in Sambo District, Kratie Province#
The proposed project is a multi-years project, running from October 2019 to May 2021. It will continue to strengthen sixCfis in six villages of Sambour District have been supported by PEM I and PEM II projects since 2013, consist of Yeav, Tonsongtleak, Achen and Sompin in Kampong Cham commune, and Ksach leav and KohKhnher in Okreang commune. The new proposed project is going to spread out to new 6 Cfis in Sambor district such as Choeung Peat, Svay Chek, Bay Samnom village Koh Knhae commune, and O#kasang, Dam Re in Boeung Char commune and Kampong Krabei village in Kampong Cham commune. The project will address the immediate needs of the community#s fisheries and Sambor Youth Network (SYN) to protect their natural resource to promote their livelihoods and the ecosystems.The alternative livelihoods will be more crucially important if the Sambor dam go ahead as the aquatic resources will be dramaticallychanged. Moreover, the proposed project focuses on strengthening and building capacity to 12 Cfi above to develop a PEM project phase-out strategy.

The expected outcome of the project is that #fishery communities and Sambor Youth Network (SYN) in thetarget villages of Sambor district are better informed and assisted in making alternative livelihood and lead to improved food security, socialcapital and financial stability, by sustainable utilizing their protected natural resource in their regions, particularly, the deeppools of the Mekong.#

The achieve the expected outcome above, NRD has proposed 3 main objectives for implementation in the said period: Objective 1: Organizational structures of 6 new community#s fisheries will be strengthened tofunction and protect and manage aquatic resources and deep pool conservation; Objective 2: Sambor Youth Network (SYN) is strengthened and enables to contribute to the protection and management of aquatic resources; Objective 3: Rice Seed Production andalternative livelihoods will be introduced and adopted by the communities to mitigate pressures on river and forest resources.