Regional: Greater Mekong Subregion Flood and Drought Risk Management and Mitigation Project (CAM)

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development - Irrigation - Rural flood protection

The Mekong River is a major influence on the lives of the people in Cambodia. Annual floods are a source of livelihood and sustenance, but extreme flood events and droughts cause widespread hardship. The costs to the countries of the Lower Mekong basin (LMB), in terms of loss of life and damage to infrastructure by floods and economic losses from both flood and drought events are significant. In Cambodia, between 1987 and 2007, 15 flood events resulted in over 1,150 deaths, disrupted the lives of over nine million persons, and when combined with losses from five drought events, caused over $465 million in damage to structures and crops. Although the annual average losses are relatively low, floods and drought events cause episodic losses as illustrated by Typhoon Ketsana in September 2009 which resulted in $132 million losses in Cambodia. Flood damage and associated losses were estimated to range from 0.30 to 0.45% of gross domestic product in 2009 in the lower Mekong basin countries.

There is a growing need for improved community preparedness to manage increasingly frequent and severe climatic extremes. Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of extreme flood events. While drought events do not result directly in deaths or structural damage, the disruption to lives and livelihoods, and the economic loss of agricultural production is substantial and limits the ability of rural communities to avoid poverty. These weather extremes illustrate the growing need for improving community preparedness to manage increasingly frequent disaster risks. Updating of infrastructure design standards will contribute to reducing the risks in Cambodia.

While many of the nonstructural problems of data, warning systems and coordination of agencies are generic to LMB countries, problems related to physical structures, including canals, drains, control structures, are site specific. Flood and drought risk management as well as building communities' resilience are identified as priorities in the national strategic development plans, sector strategies and national climate change adaptation plans.

The proposed investment is one of the flagship programs of the 2002 Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Program Strategic Framework. Country agriculture and natural resources (ANR) sector assessments have confirmed drought and flood (extreme weather) events as key constraints to economies of the project countries and as contributing factors to persistent poverty in areas affected. Consequently, the proposed Project has two foci: (i) subregional activities to strengthen regional cooperation and integration (RCI) with regard to water resources management in general and flood/drought management in particular, and (ii) in country investments which combine structural and non-structural investments. Together, these will address the key subsector constraint of insufficient disaster preparedness of countries and communities to manage and mitigate the potential impacts of climate extremes.

1. Regional coordination for management of flood and drought events strengthened

2. Water management infrastructure upgraded

3. Capacity for community based F&D management enhanced

4. Effective project implementation

The consultants, who will provide support to the National Flood Forecasting Center (NFFC) in installing hydro-meteorological stations and developing flood forecasting model and early warning system, mobilized on 16 December 2015. They will provide training and capacity building support particularly on operation and maintenance of the hydro-meteorological stations and flood forecasting and early warning system.

The detailed design and construction supervision consultants mobilized on 1 September 2015. Design of works is expected to complete in Q2-Q3 2016 and award of works is expected in Q4 2016.

The consultants for CBDRM mobilized on 9 September 2015. Consultations with stakeholders and social mobilization in the project area is ongoing.

The Mission and Government agree that the Project can be completed, with a pro-active and efficient approach, within the project closing date (despite a delay of 1.5 years due to declaration of effectiveness).

Consultation and participatory design of interventions and processes will commence starting from the preparation and implementation of land acquisition and resettlement plans towards the technical design and implementation of subprojects, in collaboration with displaced persons and stakeholders. Consultation will also be conducted during the process of updating the resettlement planning documents and participatory monitoring tools will be used throughout the project period.

Community based disaster risk management actions will be supported in parallel to each infrastrucuture investment to ensure maximum ownership and understanding of the investments in each community. Careful communications and participatory approaches will be used extensively to facilitate the develop of the capacity of each community to prepare for and recover from flood and drought events, and to manage the sustainable operation and maintenance of the infrastruture developed through the proiect.