Working Papers   153

Community-Based Water Management in Cambodia: A Comparative Study of Farmer Water User Communities (FWUCs) and the Indigenous Metuk System

Author(s): MAK Sithirith

Published: 23-Dec-2025
Keyword: Community-based water management, farmer water user communities, Metuk, water governance, hybrid co-governance approach, indigenous knowledge
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Abstract/Summary

This working paper examines community-based water management in Cambodia through a comparative analysis of Farmer Water User Communities (FWUCs) and the indigenous Metuk system in the Tonle Sap floodplain. Drawing on qualitative case studies from Kakaoh Commune in Kampong Thom Province and Santey Village in Siem Reap Province, the study analyses governance design, legitimacy, ecological fit, financing, equity, and resilience to external change. Using key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and document review, the paper shows that FWUCs offer statutory recognition and links to state and donor systems but often suffer from weak participation, elite capture, and financial fragility. In contrast, the Metuk system demonstrates strong everyday legitimacy, ecological alignment with the Tonle Sap flood pulse, and high compliance grounded in social norms, yet lacks legal protection and access to external finance. The paper argues that neither model alone is sufficient and proposes a hybrid co-governance approach that combines statutory authority with indigenous knowledge to strengthen water security, livelihoods, and climate resilience in Cambodia.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64202/wp.153.202512




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