Progress Report: Ba Phnom District Technical Working Group – Inclusive Governance Restores Water, Fisheries, and Ecosystems in Boeng Sneh Lake

In Ba Phnom District, Prey Veng Province, the District Technical Working Group (DTWG) was established in 2024 as a pilot initiative. This model targeted the Boeng Sneh Lake (BSL) to advance decentralized and integrated natural resource management. A 3,924-hectare wetland reservoir that sustains 10,911 households across 44 villages. BS is vital for rice irrigation, fisheries, biodiversity, and eco-tourism, yet faces mounting pressures from intensified rice cropping, illegal fishing, agrochemical misuse, and speculative land encroachment.

The DTWG revitalized district-level coordination by uniting government departments, commune councils, civil society organizations, and community representatives under a shared vision. It has become a leading example of how inclusive governance platforms can transform contested resources into collectively managed assets, ensuring both ecological resilience and livelihoodsecurity .