The 2nd CSO-REDD+ quarterly meeting was held on June 19, 2018 at Angkor Hotel. There were 17 participants attended which including CSO-REDD+ members and guests who involved in 7th ASEAN forum on social forestry session. The CSO-REDD+ was initiated to garther the common voice of INGO/LNGO and community representative which aim at reducing emission caused by deforestation and forest degration program and protected the advantages of indeginous people and communities which their livelihood depend on resources from forest and provide good opportunity for them to join in the decision making in order to have sustainable environment and livelihood improvement. The objectives of this meeting were:
1. Update progress and challenges of the last quarter.
2. Coordinate the common work plan of CG, CSO-REDD+, V4MF and specific work plan for last 6 months mandate.
3. Determine the current situation, way forward and set up new strategy/action for the next step.
First of all, Mr. Mat Farit, CSO-REDD+ secretariat was highlighted the overview about CSO-REDD+ Cambodia to ensure that REDD+ civil society network has the capacity to protect the interest and the sustainable use of natural resources of local communities and indigenous people by conforming of government policy on REDD+ program implementation and to insure the good governance and transparency. The steering committees and members list were updated and reviewed by last quarter which adds some new members.
Mr. Viriya suggested to review the ToR as it need to be up dated since we contributed in the road map because the implementation process almost completed. The steering committee member should be reviewed or re-elected. Mr. Narin said that it is a good idea but NGO Forum has prepared the 1st quarterly meeting to review the ToR that would be great if we have a meeting of core group to review it. Regarding the reviewing the new mandate of the steering committee then we need the voice from all members.
To review the work plan of CSO-REDD+ and base on the suggestion of Mr. Yeang Donal to withdraw the some activities of the Consultation Group as part of CSO-REDD+ intervention. Mr. Mat Farit has raised three differences work plan of CSO-REDD+, Voice for Mekong Project (V4MF) and CG. As a result, it showed that there are two main activities will be implemented by CSO-REDD+; 1) Provide awareness raising to university students on REDD+ implication and 2) Disseminate REDD+ implication to local community.
However, all the activities will be implemented base on the allocation of budget support from V4MF project and BfTW to CSO-REDD+ in the following:
– Join network meeting with the National Level.
– Conduct study on REDD policy and forest governance implementation and its implication (Preylang, Caromon Mountaint and Keo Seima) and field assessment.
– Promoting awareness about REDD+ tor communities.
– Participate in Project Executive Board (PEB) meeting to get more information on REDD+ as high-level meeting.
– Participate in consultation group (CG) meeting to learn about government strategy of REDD+ in Cambodia.
– Coordinate Adhoc meeting with government to discuss on policy and guideline on REDD+
– Support members to share knowledge at community level on forest governance and field assessment related to REDD+ site.
– Organize training or consultation workshop with network members on REDD+ and forest governance concept, FPIC, and legality framework.
– Cooperate with FA and REDD+ working group to produce IEC material.
– Conduct awareness raising to university students at provincial level.
– Organize radio talk and debate on REDD+.
– Organize CSO_REDD+ quarterly meeting and reflection.
Regarding the challenges faced within this quarter, it was indicated as; shortage of fund, movement of focal person (member), invitation (not reply and confirm), lack of participation, lack of common plan and follow up. Mr. Serey, NTFP suggested that we should invite RECOFTC, WWF and CI to attend the annual meeting as well as to share what they have been doing regarding REDD+. Mr. Tola and Mr. Prom (CTO) commented that the working group working on REDD+ should be exist at sub-national level. Mr. Sar Thlay shared the definition of REDD+ that is to reduce deforestation and reforestation means the forest conservation. He commented to have a common specific work plan at the end of the meeting for positive change.
Mr. Narith (SPN) shared the information from Prey Lang Network which is a kind of REDD+ project led by CI and Japanese company operating in Prey Lang area, Stung Treng Province. The project does not involve community in their development process, thus, it would be great if PLCN representative could be seat and learn from CSO-REDD+ network members.
Mr. Narin raised question what is carbon leaking? Is it effected to payment procedure if it was found? And how far from one area to another which can be defined as Carbon leaking? Mr. Viriya will find the information for clarification.
Mr. Narin proposed that what will be happened if carbon payment comes to an end and would it be continues to logging tree? What amendment of the policy or national forestry program, so how could be intervened? And what is the meaning of effective participation? Mr. Thlay responded that we really do not know what happened so far, particularly the safeguard information system (SIS) in the Cambodian context. SIS is to ensure that Indigenous People have rights to live and relies on the forest and respect their ethics.
Based on the request to develop specific common work plan, we raised individual activities of the respective member whether they have relevant action related to REDD+. There were some actions for development, such as supporting 7 saving groups, and the group has allocated the social fund for forest conservation such as patrolling and partnership with RECOFTC as well as cooperated with the company to support community in growing vegetable and agriculture. For the next action plan, we will follow up Draft SIS and raising input from CSOs perception and distance gaps of carbon leaking regarding result-based payment?
In conclusion, the meeting was preceded well with a fruitful result as stated in the objectives. It is good remarks to spot out the key intervention whether REDD+ still in broad scheme such as review gaps in draft Safeguard Information System and generate input for improvement, sharing use of output-based planning of CSO-REDD+ member for seeking the common wok plan, and develop draft specific common work plan of CSO-REDD+ in the next 6 months of 2018. Mr. Viriya, a chairperson of meeting thanks to all participants who spent their value time for sharing and providing a lot of inputs. The meeting was ended at 05:00p.m with a pleasant moment.