The Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG) project in Cambodia focuses on two key workstreams: Customary Tenure (CT) and Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI).
The CT workstream aims to implement customary tenure documentation and resource use mapping tools in collaboration with conservation NGOs and CSOs working with Community Protected Areas (CPA) and indigenous communities. This empowers these communities to actively participate in critical processes such as zoning, state land registration, design of REDD+ projects, CPA applications, internal resource management, and local conflict resolution.
The project supports CPA management planning to identify economic opportunities, including engagement with the private sector, while ensuring the implementation of REDD+ safeguards and benefit-sharing mechanisms.
MRLG also supports the development and revision of relevant sub-legislations, focusing on the CPA Guidelines and a REDD+ benefit-sharing mechanism. The project emphasizes capacity building for both men and women leaders, promoting gender equality and safeguarding biodiversity corridors.
In the RAI workstream, MRLG’s Phase 3 Priorities focus on strengthening contractual obligations under a future Contract Farming Law, ensuring transparency and formal contracts between farmers and agribusiness companies. The project supports policy dialogues and public consultations involving private sector entities and agricultural cooperatives, developing guidelines for conflict resolution and grievance mechanisms for contract farming. The project also focuses on building capacities for Agricultural Cooperatives and agribusiness private companies to effectively manage contract farming and prevent conflicts.