Kampong Chhnang (Nov 14, 2012) –Life with Dignity (LWD) today inaugurated a new irrigation system in Sameakki Meanchey district of the Kampong Chhnang.
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The Phnom Preah Theat Irrigation System project, which was started in April and finished in August 2012, was implemented by LWD with technical support from the Provincial Department of Water Resources and in close collaboration with the local authorities at all levels.
The project cost $97,220.40, of which $96,845.40 was funded by Finn Church Aid (FCA) and $375 was contributed by the community in Peam commune and Preah Theat pagoda. It consisted of a dam and a watergate, measuring a total of 337 meters in length, 10 meters wide on top and from 12.99 to 27.72 meters wide at base.
Speaking at the ceremony, LWD Executive Director Dr. Sam Inn said the dam is a sign of hope for a better future for the communities in Peam commune of Sameakki Meanchey. “Water is life, water is hope,” he said.
The system was built under the LWD’s Climate Change Adaption Project to address challenges of rural farmers living in drought prone areas. It aimed at increasing their agricultural activities and productivity, improving food security, and strengthening community capacity to adapt to climate change.
Dr. Inn said rural farmers today were strongly affected by climate change. Farmers’ rice and crop plantation was frequently affected by floods or droughts. “Of course, the dam can help reduce drought risks, but the community needs to increase their skills and knowledge in agriculture to deal with climate change,” he said, adding that knowledge in climate change mitigation and adaptation was very important for rural farmers.
“Don’t let climate change manage our lives, we need to manage our lives to respond to the climate change,” Dr. Inn said.
Ms. Anu Riikonen, FCA Regional Representative for Asia, said access to resources such as land, water and seeds as well as to agricultural credits was a corner stone of agricultural production and productivity. The dam provided accessibility for the communities, especially women and vulnerable households, to irrigate their crops all seasons and contributed to improving the livelihoods of the community.
“To assure the continuation of food production activities in the changing climate conditions, people need to adapt and adopt new initiative methods and resources. However, local farmers alone cannot adapt successfully to climate change. They need to be supported by the government and by the private sector, and there is also an important role for civil society organizations, such as Finn Church Aid,” Ms. Anu said.
H.E Hy Nath, Deputy Governor of Kampong Chhnang, deeply thanked LWD for its great effort in mobilizing resources from FCA to build the dam and spillway.
“I highly appreciate all achievements made by LWD and recognize it as the most active NGO in two districts of Tuek Phos and Sameakki Meanchey districts of Kampong Chhnang province. It also did great jobs on emergency response to help the flood affected people in other districts of our province last year,” he said.
“I would like LWD to continue its good cooperation with the Cambodian government to improve the livelihood of the poor.”
The dam located in Chrak Kov village of Peam commune. It can irrigate 381 hectares of rice fields in 8 villages of Peam and Svay Chuk communes. The number of farmers who will benefit from the project totaled 1,265 families (or 6,143 people, half of them are women).
For more information, please, contact Leak Ratna (Mr.), LWD Communication Coordinator | E-mail:ratna@lwd.org.kh | Phone: 012 819 121