Cambodia
Cambodia is enriched by the mighty Mekong River and the unique Tonle Sap Lake — Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake and a designated biosphere reserve. They, along with a vast interconnected network of tributaries and other aquatic ecosystems, form the backbone of the nation’s economy and ecology. These water systems are central to the livelihoods of millions of both urban and rural communities, supporting agriculture and fisheries which are dependent on the predictable pulses of seasonal flooding, nutrient deposition and connectivity to aquatic habitats of the Mekong floodplains.
Agriculture currently accounts for over 90% of water use in Cambodia. Additionally, freshwater fisheries contribute approximately 82% of the animal protein consumed by Cambodians, making fish a staple food and crucial for the nation’s food security, especially for the rural poor. The livelihoods and food security of Cambodia’s future are closely tied to the sustainable management of its diverse freshwater ecosystems.
Nevertheless, Cambodia faces mounting environmental challenges, upstream impoundments for hydropower and irrigation diversion, overfishing, land reclamation, deforestation and climate variability, which threaten the reliability and sustainability of its water systems. Continued improvements to Cambodia’s natural resources governance are needed as the demand for water intensifies amongst different economic sectors and growing urban centers, and as transboundary challenges and shifting hydrological patterns persist.
Addressing these vulnerabilities calls for building better appreciation for water as a critical shared resource, collaborative management across borders, investment in climate-resilient infrastructure and efforts to balance development with long-term environmental sustainability.
IWMI in Cambodia
IWMI’s engagement in Cambodia spans approximately 25 years, contributing to diverse water-related activities. In partnership with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, IWMI has invested in agricultural water management to improve productivity of rice-based farming systems, largely through small scale and groundwater irrigation. Additionally, IWMI piloted two District Technical Working Groups (DTWGs) in 2024 in the provinces of Kampong Thom and Prey Veng, partnering with WorldFish, government agencies and communities. These pilot DTWGs resolved long-standing local water conflicts between rice farmers, fishers and other users; their success in establishing water and livelihood security prompted the formal adoption of this model, and new DTWGs are being established across Cambodia.
Other IWMI efforts in Cambodia include support for water storage infrastructure, the promotion of sustainable and resilient floodplain agro-ecosystems, assessments of irrigation schemes with the Asian Development Bank and regional workshops on agribusiness public-private partnerships which aim to strengthen agricultural value chains across Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
Country Representative
Contact
Get updates
Subscribe to receive email updates on our work in Cambodia.
Projects in Cambodia
Latest Cambodia news
May-June 2025 Research Journal Roundup
January-February 2025 Research Journal Roundup
Working together for more equitable water sharing solutions
What is good for fish, is good for people and planet
Latest Cambodia publications
Activity Report. Scoping activity for integration of Fish and Livestock systems. Prey Veng, Cambodia, 4–6 June 2025
Disentangling community-based resource governance through knowledge systems mapping: insights from Community Fish Refuges in rural Cambodia
Realizing collective action in agency-constrained contexts: the case of the Community Fish Refuges in Cambodia