Source: Bunlong, L, World Bank
Source: Wikipedia, 2008
Source: Ockenden Cambodia
Ratanakiri in Brief
Ratanakiri which approximately 558K from Phnom Penh to the northeast Cambodia with neighboring Steung Treng, Kratie and Mondolkiri Province. It is known for its lush forests; the hilly basalt plateau between Ratanakiri's two major rivers is home to most of the province's population. Ratanakiri is sparsely populated; with residents generally live in villages of 100 to 300 people, though the provincial capital of Banlung (by far Ratanakiri's largest settlement) has a population of 17,000 (Wikipedia,, 2008). Besides, it is also among the least developed provinces of Cambodia. Its infrastructure is poor, and the local government is weak. The vast majority of Ratanakiri's population engages in subsistence shifting agriculture. Health indicators in Ratanakiri are extremely poor, with nearly one in four children dying before age five. Education levels are also low; three quarters of the population is illiterate (Wikipedia, 2008).
Geographical area and The Population
– Ratanakiri province is about 558 km from Phnom Penh in the Northeast of Cambodia.
– Area : 11, 052 km2 (UNDP:1995)
– 9 districts, 49 communes, 240 villages
– Total population 138,804 (2007) and 28,182 Families (Provincial statistics)
– Around 70% of the populations are from 7 indigenous ethnic minority groups (Tum Poun, Kroueng, Charay, Phnong, Prov, Kavet, Kachork). The rests are Khmer, Loa, Vietnamese and Chinese.
Natural Resource Situation and Land tenure and use
In the past, around 80% of the land area was covered with primary and secondary forest. Now the forest resources is rapidly being degraded due to illegal land clearance, legal and illegal logging, land sales and land economic concessions. Currently there is an influx of people buying land for planting cash crops and agro-industrial cash crops e.g. rubber, coffee and cashew plantations.
Traditionally ethnic minority farmers clear as much forest as they need for agricultural land (Cham Kar). They practice shifting cultivation and slash and burn farming techniques. However now their traditional way of farming is under threat due to available land being limited.
The ethnic minority farmers is divide their land into the following categories:
– land (Cham Kar): used for rice, cashew, beans, cassava
– Spirit forest land: reserved for traditional beliefs
– Cemetery land: used for burying dead bodies
– Water source land: land located along or in the surrounding water, sources (river sides, lake, natural canals)
– Housing land: on which houses are built.
Occupations
Farmers from ethnic minority groups are involved in upland crop cultivation
– Rice, corn, cassava are their main food
– Cashew is becoming a new cash crop
– Pigs and chickens are traditionally reared
– Collection of forest products (wild tubers, leaves, fruits, resin, honey and hunting) is an important activity which is done all year round it helps supplement food shortages.
Destination for Tourism
– Yeak Laom Crater Lake
– Waterfalls
– Virachey National Park
– Indigenous villages
Challenges in the province
– The biggest challenge to the ethnic indigenous people is land encroachments by outsiders. This results in a sharp decline of the natural forest resources. Which poses a big thread to their culture, livelihoods and territory
– For some productive land has become limited, and the indigenous ethnic minority people cannot produce enough, as they can’t carry out sifting cultivation. The majority of families suffer from food shortages for 3-6 months a year. To cope with this issue indigenous family members sell their labor on a daily basis.
– For some families’ lack of labor and financial input limits productivity resulting in food shortages.
For what Ockenden Cambodia works in Ratanakiri, please click here:
Previous page: Welcome to Ockenden Cambodia
Next page: Who We Are