It is my pleasure to invite you all to the special seminar on "Tonle Sap Lake: natural resource, community and state in transition".
Date: 6 July (Fri), 2012
Time: 2:30-6:00 pm
Venue: Chu-kaigishitsu (the middle size meeting room) at 3rd floor in
the Inamori Foundation Building
http://www.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/about/access_en.html
Program:
2:30-2:45 Introduction
2:45-3:45
"The Typical Intervention Systems of Natural Resource Management in Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia: The Community Based and Modern Approaches”
by Dr. Seak Sophat,
Deputy Head and Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science, Royal University of Phnom Penh
*Currently stay at Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya University
4:00-5:00
"State-Society Relation in Natural Resources: A Case Study on Fishery Politics in Tonle Sap, Cambodia”
by Mr. Thol Dina,
Ph.D. candidate, Graduate School of Frontier Science, the University of Tokyo
5:10-6:00 Comment and Discussion
Discussant: Dr. Hori Mina, Kochi University
Contact: Kobayashi Satoru, CSEAS, Kyoto University
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Abstract of the first presentation (Dr. Sophat)
Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, and is very rich in biodiversity, especially capture fisheries resources. The lake is also home to critically endangered and threatened species of fish, birds, reptiles, mammals and aquatic vegetation. Furthermore, the lake is the main source of livelihoods for more than two million people inhabiting the area. Because of its importance for capture fisheries and other economic activities, and because there is a limitation of immediate and appropriate management measure in place, the biodiversity of the lake is degrading at a high rate. One of the missing management structures clearly recognized is an active management intervention system that is able to provide regular and timely decision making measures for effective management of natural resources in the lake. This paper examines the typical intervention systems being practiced in Tonle Sap Lake, including the modern and local management interventions directly linking to natural resource management regime. What managers (government, NGOs officials and local communities) should do with the existing practices of decision making in order to enforce sustainable management of natural resources within the lake. By employing the participatory approach, approximately ten local and modern interventions were identified and assessed. The modern management interventions are being practiced by government agencies, namely rangers and fisheries officers, whilst the local ones are being conducted by the local community. Both categories of interventions were considered for further improvement to have effective and efficient applications suitable to the local context with an attempt to build capacity of the local community and government managers actively engaged in the protection of natural resources in the Tonle Sap Lake. The paper also outlines the challenges being encountered by the two systems of intervention.
Abstract of the second presentation (Mr. Dina)
Under what circumstances does the government enforce policies in favor of the poor? Why are states are so dominant in controlling natural resources? What are the roles of non-state actors in limiting or furthering state power in natural resources? This research examines these questions by taking an example of state-society relation in Tonle Sap. Approximately 85% of Cambodians live in rural areas, with the majority depending on natural resources for their subsistence. There are nearly two million people who have involved with natural resources in Tonle Sap for their livelihood. Therefore any event related to natural resources is critical among the resources users. Thus, managing the natural resources does not mean controlling only the resources, but also controlling the millions of people who depend on these resources. This study attempts to look at how state fisheries policies have developed in the last decade, how local people have been impacted by such policies, and how they found room to negotiate and respond to state policies. The study also aims to explore the role of non-state actors such as NGOs in this state-society relations frame. It also tries to examine what
channels have been developed in terms of state-society relations for fishery resources with fisheries stakeholders.
Keywords: State-society relation, non-state actor, natural resource, resource politics, Cambodia.
