Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.63315/jrcd.v20i2.2595 |
| Title (Primary) | Disentangling community-based resource governance through knowledge systems mapping: insights from community fish refuges In rural cambodia |
| Author | Baldivieso Soruco, C.R.; Bonatti, M.; De Silva, S.; Ou, P.; Soeun, K.O.; Neth, S.; Sun, V.; RodrÃguez, T.; Sean, V.; Sithirith, M.; Dubois, M.; Sieber, S. |
| Source Titel | Journal of Rural and Community Development |
| Year | 2025 |
| Department | UPOL |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Page From | 1 |
| Page To | 33 |
| Language | englisch |
| Topic | T5 Future Landscapes |
| Keywords | Aquatic food systems; causal-loop diagrams; collective action; community-based governance; knowledge systems |
| Abstract | Inland fisheries in Cambodia are of great importance to the livelihoods
of rural communities, as they provide sustenance and seasonal income for
the local population. Community fish refuges (CFRs) are natural or
human-made water bodies that hold water throughout the year, providing a
dry-season sanctuary for aquatic life. Managed mainly by the local
community, CFRs support diverse ecological and human functions, such as
biodiversity repositories, including fish stocks, and provide water for
irrigation, livestock, and domestic needs. These initiatives have been
promoted by several organizations in Cambodia since the 1990s, showing
positive ecological impacts and improving food security, especially for
marginalized populations. However, the social dimensions of management,
the role of local knowledge, and the underlying knowledge systems remain
understudied. The objective of this study is to gain insight into the
governance mechanisms of CFRs in relation to the local knowledge of
management. Four CFR projects conducted by WorldFish and NGO partners
between 2016 and 2021 in Central Cambodia were selected for the
analysis. A participatory approach was employed using causal loop
diagrams (CLDs) through focus group discussions (FGDs) with local
stakeholders (n = 38). The methodological approach was based on three
phases: exploratory interviews (n=23), causal-loop FGDs (n=4), and FGDs
for data validation (n=4). Our study highlights the importance of
context-specific and relational knowledge in CFR management, as well as
the importance of institutional structures, power dynamics, and social differentiation in shaping knowledge access, distribution, and management. Social mobilization mainly involves village representatives mediating between villagers and external entities, with a certain degree of concentration of power within groups of stakeholders. Enhancing community governance through more inclusive, dialogue-based communication and potentially leveraging informal networks is recommended to channel social learning, considering the sociocultural context and challenges of decentralization in Cambodia. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=31807 |
| Baldivieso Soruco, C.R., Bonatti, M., De Silva, S., Ou, P., Soeun, K.O., Neth, S., Sun, V., RodrÃguez, T., Sean, V., Sithirith, M., Dubois, M., Sieber, S. (2025): Disentangling community-based resource governance through knowledge systems mapping: insights from community fish refuges In rural cambodia J. Rural Community Dev. 20 (2), 1 - 33 10.63315/jrcd.v20i2.2595 |
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