Thirty-four community forest groups renew 15-year agreement, a first in Cambodia

Chapters Thirty-four community forest groups renew 15-year agreement, a first in Cambodia

Community forestry members and local officials attend a meeting in Kampong Thom province

Securing rights and inclusive governance

Thirty-four community forest groups renew 15-year agreement, a first in Cambodia

In Kampong Thom, RECOFTC helped community forestry groups complete Cambodia’s first community forest agreement renewals securing their legal rights and creating a potential model for national policy.

In Cambodia, community forestry offers a legal pathway for communities to protect their forests and improve livelihoods. But that legal protection is not permanent. After 15 years, agreements must be renewed or communities risk losing their rights.

By 2024, 34 community forestry groups in Kampong Thom province were reaching the end of their original 15-year agreements, signed in 2009. “Without the agreement, we have no legal proof,” says Khiev Khoy, committee chief of Trapeang Lapeak Community Forest. “It’s also difficult to get support from the authorities when we face illegal activities.”

Yet there was no precedent. While the law requires the Forestry Administration to assess each group before issuing a renewal, there was no process or framework in place to do so before now.

Through our CASFor project, RECOFTC worked with all 34 communities in Kampong Thom to prepare and submit renewal requests and helped coordinate with the Forestry Administration. In 2024, we facilitated a consultation meeting with the Kampong Thom Forestry Administration Cantonment to discuss legal and technical procedures along with a work plan to renew the community forestry agreements.

Community forestry representatives and Forestry Administration officials gather in Kampong Thom

Officials from the Forestry Administration agreed to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework. After its development, forestry officials visited each community to carry out the assessments.

The framework, which draws on RECOFTC’s participatory tools, focuses on forest protection, forest restoration, governance, economic benefits and gender inclusion. All 34 communities were found to be effectively protecting their forests. Some were advised to strengthen gender inclusion in leadership.

Each group has now signed a renewed 15-year agreement, which will ensure continued community rights over thousands of hectares of forest. “This was our first time requesting a renewal,” says Im Nou, chief of Ou Soam Community Forest. “Thanks to RECOFTC’s support, it went smoothly.”

Cambodia’s first renewed 15-year community forest agreements in Kampong Thom province

More than 12,000 people benefit directly from the forests managed by these 34 groups. The renewal of their registrations not only protects local livelihoods and biodiversity but also offers a model for other provinces and for future national policy.