National Report - Cambodia - United Nations Sustainable ...

Government support. REDD+ could play an important part in sink creation.
Agriculture is a key sector in economic development, with 28.4 percent of GDP in 2011. Cultivated land for
corn reached 174,257 ha in 2011, while cassava was 391,714 ha in 2011. In total for four crops, the cultivated
land yielded 704,666 tonnes in 2011. Poultry production reached 21.62 million head in 2011. Cambodia produced
more than 3.36 million head of cattle in 2007, compared to 3.4 million head in 2011. There were 772,780
head of buffalo in 2007, compared to 689,829 head in 2011. Pigs numbered 2.38 million head in 2007, compared
to 2.09 million head in 2011. Cambodia’s inland fisheries produced 395,000 tonnes in 2007, compared to
445,000 tonnes in 2011, indicating a steady increase. Marine fisheries production was 63,500 tonnes in 2007,
compared to 91,000 tonnes in 2011. Aquaculture production was 35,260 tonnes in 2007 compared to 72,000
tonnes in 2011.
Floods and droughts are regarded as the main natural disaster. The government approved the Strategic National
Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2008-2013. This action plan is to reduce the vulnerability
of its people, especially the poor, to the effects of natural, environmental and human-induced hazards. This
can best be achieved by strengthening the disaster management system in Cambodia and by incorporating a
disaster risk reduction perspective into the policies, strategies and plans of government, in all sectors and at all
levels. The Action Plan was formulated to serve as the “road map” or guide for strengthening and undertaking
disaster risk reduction in Cambodia.
Policy Recommendations
The National Report forms policy recommendations to address key challenges including:
• Promotion of integrated planning and prioritization between different sectors to ensure that environmental,
social and economic goals are being harmonized.
• Investment in strengthening human resources and skills - and competitiveness - through additional
investment in secondary education, a reform of tertiary education and targeted vocational and technical
training.
• Strengthening of data and M&E systems across all sectors to support planning and rational decision
making.
• Strengthening law enforcement, especially with regard to the social and environmental impact of economic
land concessions.
• Promotion of public-private partnerships for green growth, including infrastructure development and
institutional coordination framework.
• Implementation of targeted policies to address urban-rural disparities.
• Need for a national targeted anti-poverty programme to provide a safety net for the poor and near-poor
from economic and other shocks.
• Stronger commitment of all stakeholders is needed to promote rights to health, education and gender
equality, and to universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.
• Put more concrete efforts into promoting climate change mainstreaming, disaster risk reduction, protecting
biodiversity and ecosystems, effectively managing forests and protected areas, managing critical
watershed areas and promoting REDD+.
• Accelerate progress toward nationally tailored sustainable energy for supporting all development objectives,
based on the country’s own action plans and programmes.