The UNDP’s financing programme for community development is aligned with the Ministry of Environment’s policy to improve people’s lives. Environment Ministry
The Ministry of Environment and the UN Development Programme have selected five protected areas to receive small UNDP Global Environment Facility grants to develop communities in the Kingdom.
The ministry’s community livelihoods department deputy director Kim Sarin told The Post on Sunday that the decision was made at a June 5 meeting with the national assessment committee for UNDP’s small-scale projects.
The five communities include the Nam Lea Mountain protected areas in Mondulkiri Province; Yorn Centre in Mondulkiri; Raing Khvav, a protected area in Pursat Province; Tum Por Mountain in Pursat, and the Choam Pen protected community in Preah Vihear Province.
“However, the Tum Por Mountain protected area and the Choam Pen protected community will have to meet conditions required by the Ministry of Environment for permission to expand the community forest area on the site which is planned for natural tourism,” Sarin said.
Khieu Borin, director-general of the ministry’s local community, said on Sunday that the UNDP’s financing programme for community development was aligned with the Ministry of Environment’s policy to improve people’s lives.
He said it will allow them to engage in protecting the environment and natural resources while earning a living.
“For the people to take care of and preserve the environment, we have to find new options that allow them to earn a medium and short-term income with agroforestry-related jobs like cultivating crops, raising chickens, fish and bees, and finding a market for them,” he said.
Borin said the Ministry of Environment has established 174 community protected areas across the Kingdom and is continuing to urge more community creation in other areas.
Each year, UNDP’s small-grant programme for community development contributes about $50,000 per community for a year-and-a-half.
The Ministry of Environment’s secretary of state and spokesman Neth Pheaktra said the creation of community protected areas was to ensure a dialogue between the communities and the government in exchanging ideas.
He said they will seek joint solutions, join together in the protection and conservation of natural resources and maintain the tangible and intangible cultural and traditional heritage and establish eco-tourism to boost local economies.
“The government and the ministry want to see the smiles and the strong solidarity of the community people. We want to see the children educated, economies flourish and natural resources protected for the coming generations,” he said.
