This is the report of a livelihoods study team working together with villagers from Saob Leu Village in Kratie Province, Cambodia from 10-15 July 2002. The team worked with 1530 villagers who volunteered to participate and represented the 177 households in the village. The villagers rely mainly on farming, with dry season rice being the most important crop. Most villagers are involved in small-scale fishing, with some having other skills.

This is the report of a livelihoods study team working together with villagers from Trorbek Pork in Kandal Province, Cambodia. In Trorbek Pork Village there are 140 families and a total population of 700 persons. The primary occupation of villagers was farming dry season rice on 47 ha, and in addition cultivating vegetables such as corn, mung bean, wax gourd, chilli and sesame on 15 ha. Secondary occupations included fishing, garment making, singing, laboring and repairing machines.

This study was based on the population census (1998) and key informant interviews (10 to 50 villagers voluntarily represented the 253 families of Dong Kom Village). There were 253 families with a total population of 1,192 persons. The primary occupation of villagers was farming, growing dry season rice on 1,900 ha, besides that they grow other vegetables such as corn, pumpkin and other vegetables on 200 ha. Secondary occupations were fisher, teachers, traditional medical practitioner, barber and other services.

This is the report of a livelihoods study team working together with villagers from Dang Tong Village in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. In general, villagers are skilled in farming and mat weaving, but some villagers also have individual skills such as carpentry, boat making, hairdressing and fixing machines. Although this village is in the Tonle Sap (Great Lake) area, which has the most plentiful supply of fresh fish in the country, the villagers are subsistence fishers.

The main objective of the study is to understand the villagers’ standard of living, hardship, external impact, present and future demand. The team interviewed with 15 to 60 villagers including men, women, young and old villagers, represented 135 families in the village. The main occupations of the villagers are farmers cultivating rice on 299 hectares of seasonal rice and 61.8 hectares dry season rice and fishers. Beside that, they have other occupations such as repairers, making thatch.

This study examines the development of the Community Fisheries Sub-Decree. From its promulgation in late 2000 through its draft form in June 2002, this sub-decree has gone through over 25 drafts. Initially, the writing process involved the public intimately: community meetings were conducted, NGOs contributed their knowledge and expertise, and then, with these consultations in mind, the newly-formed Community Fisheries Development Office (CFDO) in the Department of Fisheries (DoF) drafted the sub-decree.

This document is the Inception Report of the DFID NRSP Research Project R8100 (March 2002 – May 2003), managed by the NACA. The purpose of the project is to identify, test and promote mechanisms for the delivery of improved rural services critical to the development of rural livelihoods, with emphasis on services in support of aquaculture objectives, strengths and constraints of marginalised groups and their complex diverse livelihoods. An inception visit was made from 17-24 March 2002. 

This article discusses a process for transacting pro-poor policy change is discussed drawing on examples in aquaculture from India. Based on research and development experience in Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa, and some further work in the western and central regions covering tribal populations, the Fisheries Development Commissioner encouraged the NACA-STREAM Initiative to recommend reforms under the FFDA scheme or even suggest a new “tribal” rainfed farming component that could be launched in the next year.

STREAM is a regional initiative that will support capacity building among local government institutions, NGOs, and community groups involved in aquatic resources management. It will support community-based learning initiatives, develop a regional communications and learning strategy and support on-going policy and institutional changes in the region to enable aquatic resources users to participate more effectively in policy-making processes, and encouraging the development of more responsive government institutions.

This paper reports on the development of a communication dissemination strategy for aquaculture recommendations resulting from participatory research in eastern India. It focuses on the rural poor who have limited access to resources and no effective aquaculture extension support. Important matters in relation to access to extension messages include socio-economic issues, access to TV and radio receivers, literacy levels and language. The paper shows the relative accessibility of different types of extension media for the different stakeholders.