Abstract/Summary

Irrigation development and management of water resources present serious governance challenges for many stakeholders in Cambodia. Farmers, government agencies, development organisations and the private sector all have a role to play, yet their roles and responsibilities are not always well defined. Contemporary ideas on water governance indicate a greater need for participation and ownership of local resources by the communities that use those resources. As such, there is a need to refine and rethink the way in which key stakeholders relate to each other and make decisions on the use of water for irrigation.

This paper analyses stakeholder roles, relationships and perspectives with respect to Cambodia’s water resources management, with a specific focus on irrigation and catchment management. It also examines the degree of consistency or disparity between different stakeholders, and between formal stakeholder roles and actual practices. Data from key informant interviews, field observations, focus group discussions (FGDs) and dissemination workshops have been analysed to draw out the main issues relating to water governance stakeholders and to resolve knowledge gaps. It examines water-related institutions and stakeholder agencies in depth to gain an understanding of their current capacity and potential. The research findings are presented in a way that will assist public policy decision-makers to compare and evaluate policy alternatives.

Several theoretical approaches guided this study, one of which is the stakeholder typology. Developed as part of the analysis, this perspective has enabled a broad definition of stakeholders in terms of their relative power (influence), legitimacy (interest) and urgency. The analysis is also broadly informed by existing literature on stakeholder relationships and governance mechanisms, especially as they relate to water governance. This includes Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), which advocates for the proper coordination and active participation of stakeholders from all relevant sectors. Its underlying assumption is to consider the social, cultural, political, economic and ecological aspects of water as being interrelated and equally valuable.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64202/wp.54.201106