Rice field fisheries (RFF) are the fishing done in and around rice fields particularly during the flood season and are a vital source of income and nutrition for Cambodia’s poor farmers. To increase productivity and maintain the biodiversity of wild fish in RFF, this project works in the Tonle Sap floodplain of Cambodia to improve the management of community fish refuges (CFR).

CFRs are bodies of water that protect wild fish during dry periods and give them a good place to breed, spawn and grow. They help maintain and increase fish numbers in rice fields and support the livelihoods of many Cambodian people.

Building on Phase I, this follow-up project focuses on replicating and scaling up best practices for CFR management, including efficient water use and integration with food crops, and promoting the nutritional benefits of consuming fish.

The project aims to achieve the following outputs by 2021:

• 8,000 hectares of rice fields are managed more sustainably
• 100,000 people in target areas consuming more fish at home, including 50,000 women and 14,000 children under five
• 140 committees are empowered to protect and manage environments for fish
• 60,000 people have access to safe drinking water, including 30,000 women.

Link for more information: Infographic on project