Natural resources are a livelihood source of the communities in Prasat Teukkhmao community forestry, so everyone has duty to protect it. Budget support is needed for implementing the activities of community forestry such as community meeting and patrolling. To address this issue, in Prasat Teukkhmao community forestry, one wild honey collection group named Prasat Teuk Khmao Wild Honey Collection Group was formed in February 2018 in Tonsorng Thlak village in Kampong Cham commune, Sambo district, Kratie province, under the Partners for Forestry and Fisheries (PaFF) programme facilitated by Non-Timer Forest Products-Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) in cooperation with the Commune Council (CC), Forestry Administration Cantonment (FAC). This wild honey group intends to increase the income of community members and contribution for natural resource conservation through improving the sustainable harvesting practice and market linkage. At least 5% of the annual net profit will be contributed to community forestry for natural resource management and conservation purpose.
In 2018, there was only 22 wild honey collectors registered as group members and then it reach to 35 members in 2020. In 2019, the group collected 2,473kg of wild honey from the members which made annual income of $30,018 and also earned profit of $8,452. With that profit amount, the group contributed $422 to communities forestry for conservation. Moreover, each member could earn annual income from wild honey harvesting.
Currently with some financial support from NGOs, the community forestry has budget to organize the regular meeting and patrolling. To ensure the sustainable financing of CF in the future, the community forestry management committee has decided to take the contribution budget from wild honey group to deposit within saving group for getting interest. Within five years from 2019-2023, the estimated contribution from wild honey group to community forestry is about $2,000.
Mr. Ya Smak, 40 years old, has five members (2 females) in his family. He is a management committee of Prasat Teuk Khmao wild honey collection group and Chief of Prasat Teukkhmao community forestry. ”This wild honey group is provided many benefits to the member such as capacity development on sustainable honey harvesting protocol and the members are applying the sustainable honey harvesting protocol including using white smoke, take only 80% of honeycomb and practice sanitation for collecting, processing and storing. Also, I think working as a collective is really useful because the wild honey collection group is offering the acceptable price to the member is it apart to improve livelihood through selling wild honey to the group. Besides this, the wild honey group operation does not only lead to direct livelihood improvement to members but it also contributes to forest conservation within the community as well. Finally, I would like to express sincere that to NTFP-EP that provide technical support in forming this group and provide capacity development to the member and management committee”.
