The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (Plan) is the result of a review process of Cambodian’s first Plan initiated in 2012 and completed in 2015, which is in line with Cambodia’s international commitments under the Convention of Biological Diversity. The objective of the Plan is that Cambodia’s biodiversity and its ecosystem services are valued, conserved, restored where necessary, wisely used and managed so as to ensure equitable economic prosperity and improved quality of life for all in the country by 2050. To this end Cambodia will seek to use protect and manage biodiversity for its sustainable development. The Plan is a multi-sectoral plan that came into force in 2016 with a national coverage. The Plan seeks to identify, inventory, monitor and enhance awareness about genetic resources, species, habitats or ecosystems and related ecosystem services that are important for sustainable development and poverty eradication in Cambodia, as a priority for conservation and sustainable use; identify and describe the direct and indirect factors and processes that are negatively impacting Cambodia’s priority biodiversity components; and apply, as appropriate, preventive and corrective measures; maintain or strengthen measures that have a positive impact on biodiversity and thus enhance the benefits to all in Cambodia from biodiversity and associated ecosystem services, for an equitable economic prosperity and improved quality of life; and strengthen the enabling environment for the implementation of the Plan. The Plan will seek that biodiversity is used wisely so as to enhance the benefits derived from it to the people of Cambodia and to eradicate poverty, particularly in rural areas. The Plan will support systems that are improving productivity and diversification of agriculture; replicate and expand areas where sustainable agriculture is practiced; develop agroindustry respectfully of the environment; develop and promote agricultural product experts for increased incomes and jobs created; and develop infrastructure in rural areas for transporting agriculture products to the markets. In addition, the Plan will focus its actions on the training of farmers, livestock producers and fish growers on improved farming systems respectful of the environment, including for example mixed cropping, rotational agriculture and pastoral rotational grazing, the use of chemical and organic fertilizers and pesticide, water use in agriculture, and animal husbandry. In order to prevent and or reduce the negative impacts of catastrophic events on biodiversity resources and improve security in areas of high biological importance, the Plan will seek to gather relevant information and data on disasters and other environmental security problems, on disaster risks and vulnerabilities, as well as on capacities for addressing disasters and disaster risks; identify ways and means to address environmental security through preventive, proactive and corrective measures; and strengthen the enabling environment for the effective implementation of measures addressing environmental security. The Ministry of Environment will mandate and support the National Biodiversity Committee, serving as the steering committee for the Plan, to work on clarifying ministerial jurisdictions and the roles and responsibilities of various institutional actors
National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.