Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Appeal - Cambodia
Drought Relief ASKH-21
Appeal Target: US$ 157,123
Geneva, 15 October 2002


ACT member Church World Service Cambodia (CWS) reports that the
combination of floods and drought are a major concern as the country's
most vulnerable populations could face food shortages next year.

The drought in Cambodia is a result of El Nino that has broken up the
monsoon clouds causing a severe drought in the provinces. Up to the end of
June there was no rain or insufficient rain for crop production. More than
1.5 million people over 9 provinces were affected by the drought and
officially only 35% of cultivated areas have been planted with rice as
against the amount planned, although this figure is reported to have now
increased to 50%. Late rains have brought some relief to eight drought
stricken provinces, but extensive flooding in another five provinces has
affected more than one million people.

In mid August, the effect of heavy rainfall, monsoon flooding and storms
in the upper region and in the neighbouring countries, Thailand and Laos
caused the water level in the Mekong River to rise. Consequently, flooding
occurred in 40 districts of 6 provinces and affected some 470,000 persons,
some of whom had to be evacuated to safer areas.

In the working areas of ACT member Church World Service Cambodia (CWSC) -
Svay Rieng, Kompong Thom, Battambong and Bantey Meanchhey - initial damage
and needs assessments were carried out and it was found that the seedlings
were severely damaged.

The following proposal for both flood and drought relief (in the form of
food for work) responds to the needs expressed by the vulnerable people in
the CWS working areas and confirmed by local NGO partners. The assistance
is intended to assist agricultural recovery through transplanting or re-
planting where there is enough rainwater. Furthermore secondary crop
production will be encouraged and supported in the areas where there has
been little rainfall so that people will have additional food to eat.




Project Completion Date:
30 April 2003

Summary of Appeal Targets, Pledges/Contributions Received and Balance
Requested
                                         US$
Total Appeal Target(s)                 157,123
Less: Pledges/Contr. Recd.                   0
Balance Requested from ACT Network     157,123


Ms. Genevieve Jacques		Thor-Arne Prois		Robert Granke
Director			Director, ACT		Director
WCC/Cluster on Relations				LWF/World Service



REQUESTING ACT MEMBER INFORMATION

Church World Service (CWS Cambodia)



IMPLEMENTING ACT MEMBER & PARTNER INFORMATION

CWS began its work in Cambodia in 1979, just after the expulsion of the
Khmer Rouge from Phnom Penh by Vietnamese troops. Work was carried out in
the form of relief assistance through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rehabilitation work followed through the Ministry of Agriculture with CWS
providing technical assistance and material aid in the agricultural sector
(agronomy, hydrology, and veterinary). In 1992, after the Paris Peace
Agreement was signed paving the way for the UN peacekeeping mission, CWS
began to extend its program into more development and community based
activities.

Currently, CWS operates Integrated Community Development Projects in 4
provinces of Svay Rieng, Kompong Thom, Battambang and Banteay Meanchhey,
focusing its work towards local institution development, especially the
support of Cambodian NGOs and CBOs.  The Integrated Community Development
Project in Kandal Province was recognised officially on 1 July 2002 as an
independent agency and local NGO, after 10 years of operation as a CWSC
project. It still gets financial support as well as technical assistance
from CWSC.

The Emergency Response Project (ERP) of CWS also began in 1992. The
project has provided funds and materials for relief and rehabilitation as
well as support to vulnerable people nation wide. In addition to working
through the project locations, CWS / ERP has worked in co-ordination with
other groups such as the Cambodian Red Cross, Christian Churches and
Cambodian Non Government Organisations (CNGOs) assisting the most
vulnerable of the population including prisoners and victims of domestic
violence.

Church World Service Cambodia is a member of ACT and of the Ecumenical
Working Group based in Cambodia. CWS has previous experience working with
ACT on flood relief and rehabilitation in 1996. In 2000 a joint proposal
for flood relief was implemented with another Ecumenical Working Group
member. Implementation of the rehabilitation work in the existing CWS
projects through local NGOs and Community Based Organisations were also
submitted and approved by ACT.



DESCRIPTION of the EMERGENCY SITUATION

Drought

The drought in Cambodia is a result of El Nino that has broken up the
monsoon clouds causing a severe drought in the provinces. Up to the end of
June there was no rain or insufficient rain for crop production. More than
1.5 million people over 9 provinces were affected by the drought.
According to official information only 35% of cultivated areas has been
planted with rice as against the amount planned, although this figure is
reported to have now increased to 50%. Late rains have brought some relief
to eight drought stricken provinces. However, extensive flooding affected
another five provinces and more than one million people.

The late arrival of season rains is seriously impacting agricultural
production and thereby the livelihoods of the rural poor. Growing of the
main seasonal crop was excessively late due to lack of rainwater and
seedlings grown in the early stage of the season were damaged or perished.
By 20 August it was estimated that 31% of the 1,609 communes had been
unable to plant the rice crop.  Cambodia normally plants up to 2.0 million
hectares of wet season rice but only 700,000 hectares have been planted
this year. (National Committee for Disaster Management as of 2 August).

As of 29 August, the rains have arrived but still 333 communes in 62
districts in the 8 provinces of Takeo, Kompong Speu, Kandal, Kampong Cham,
Svay Reing, Oudar Meanchhey, Pursat and Battambong have not received
enough rain water for rice production. The Provincial Committee of
Disaster Management reported that drought had affected some 335,800
families consisting of 1,582,337 people. Damage to seedlings was reported
in 20,502 hectares while 47,788 hectares with transplanted rice have also
been reported affected.

In the CWS target areas, especially Svay Rieng, drought seriously impacted
the seedlings * resulting in stunted growth and/or withering.  Those that
were ready could not be transplanted due to lack of enough water. The rice
fields, which are normally full of rainwater at this time of the year, now
look yellow and dry. From the assessment report by staff in SVR, there are
3 districts - Kompong Ro, Romeas Hek and Romdoul which have been severely
impacted by the lack of rain since June this year. Only 50 to 60 % of
180,000 hectares of land could be cultivated this year.


In Banteay Meanchhey Province, three districts are reported severely
affected - Timor Pourk, Svay Chhek and Phnom Srok. From the assessment
carried out by CWS staff in BTB and BMC 4, 785 hectares of seedlings were
reported damaged. Last year at this time already 167,768 hectares were
fully transplanted. In Battambong, amongst 13 districts, there were 6
districts namely Mong Reussey, Bovel, Koh Krolo, Ek Phnom, Thmor Kol and
Banan which were also severely affected by drought 1 from the assessment
done by staff in BTB/BCM

1.


Floods

Simultaneously, in mid-August, the provinces along the Mekong River were
threatened by flooding due to the effect of heavy rainfall, monsoon
flooding and storms in the upper region and in the neighbouring countries
of Thailand and Laos. The water level in the Mekong River rose alarmingly
flooding 40 districts of 6 provinces. OCHA reported on 25 September that
over 1,470,000 people in 365 communes were affected and 29 people had lost
their lives due to the floods. Over 470,000 people now face food
shortages.



Current situation

Rainfall has not been sufficient to produce the expected rice crop
production. Cultivation of rice has only been undertaken in an estimated
800,167 hectares which is only equal to 36.77 % of the planned 2,167,000
hectares of land for rice crop production 2 NCDM
2.


This is much lower than rice production achieved during the same period in
the last year 2001. In Kompong Speu, Takeo and other provinces, the
drought severely affected 51 districts amongst 185 districts or 551
communes amongst 1,621 communes throughout the country 3 NCDM

3. The long-term rice cultivation is about to finish and there is little
hope of saving the seedlings for transplanting.

Water levels have started to recede in most provinces, however, it is
expected that levels, which are currently higher than the alarm stages
(Mekong River Commission 30 August) in lower lying provinces Prey Veng,
Kompong Cham and Kandal will remain high for some weeks.  1,000 families
who had been evacuated in the Northern Eastern Province of Kratie have
begun to return to their homes and water levels in Steung Treng have
dropped below flood level.

The National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), the Cambodian Red
Cross and the concerned Ministries have delivered food (food for work),
fuel, rice seeds (2,600 tons) and other materials together with human
power to intervene and assist the most vulnerable.

The Prime Minister and President of the NCDM appealed to all Government
officials, Public Servants, International Organisations, United Nations
Agencies, International Organisations Cambodian Red Cross Society and Non
Governmental Organisations to support the emergency relief and recovery.

Location for Proposed Response to drought and flood

Province
Drought Affected District
NGOs
Organizations other than CWS

Svay Rieng
Roum Doul
Romeas hek
Kompong Ro
Svay Chrum
CWS
WFP, CRC, PDMC,

Battambong
Mong Roeussey
Bovel
Koh Krolo
Ek Phnom
Thmor Kol
Banan
CWS only works through CNGOs partners in this province
LWS, WFP, CRC, PDMC

Bantey Mean Chhey
Thmor Pourk
Svay Chek
Phnom Srok
CWS works through CNGOs
WFP, CRC, PDMC. CWS only works through CNGO partners in this province

Kompong Thom
Steung Sen
Kompong Svay
Kompong Ro

WFP, CRC, PDMC, GTZ, Unicef, WVI.

Phnom Penh

CWS will work through NCDM


Kandal
Lvea Em
Mouk kampoul
CDW
ERDC
WFP, LWF

Prey Veng
Mesang
Ba Pnom
ERDC
WFP, CRC, CARE

Kratie
Kratie
Sambor
Prek Prasap
ERDC
WFP




GOAL & OBJECTIVES

The overall aim is to assist the most vulnerable and needy of the affected
population to recover by enabling them to work and save what may be left
of their crops and to enable the communities to be better prepared to deal
with emergencies in the future.


Objectives:

To provide Food for Work Programme for community infrastructure repair:
ponds, wells, house repair/reconstruction

To provide short-term rice seeds and other planting materials such as
vegetable seeds, cassava, sweet potatoes, corn.

To build the capacity of CWS respective communities and CNGOs partners to
establish appropriate disaster preparedness and response plans.

To work in co-ordination with the NCDM at the provincial and central
levels to build their confidence and competence in their role as the
nations lead agency for disaster preparedness and response.



TARGETED BENEFICIARIES

Selection of beneficiaries takes place through established service
delivery mechanisms such as the elected Village Development Committees,
designated CWS field staff and through co-operation with organisations
such as the WFP, CRC, Department of Agriculture, Department of Rural
Development, Provincial Disaster Management Committee, Local NGOs.

Criteria for selection
Crisis phase:

Drought victims whose seedlings/transplants have sustained serious damage
or loss due to the drought and have consequently lost income with no means
to restart.

The most vulnerable affected - the landless and those who rely on daily
labour jobs, the socially disadvantaged, single female headed households,
chronically ill and disabled.

Recovery phase:

Families affected by long term food shortages - those who normally have a
low rice production and have had limited opportunity to replant crops or
find other means of earning to provide basic necessities.

The vulnerable poor who have limited coping strategies - the socially
disadvantaged, the unaccompanied elderly, single female headed households,
chronically ill, disabled, illiterate and landless.


Approximately 12,000 families will receive assistance.

Assistance to drought victims:
Provinces
Families
When assisted
Proposed assistance

Kg Thom
Kompong Svay
Prasat Balaing
Steung Sen
4,850
Immediate needs to save the seedlings/ transplanting


At the recovery stage
30 tons rice seeds
6,000 litres of fuel
9 pumping machines

30 tons of white rice

Svay Rieng
Kompong Ro
Roumdoul
Romeas hek
Svay Chhrum

2,500
Immediately




At the recovery stage
- 10 tons Rice seed
- 9,427 litres of fuel
-14 pumping machines
- corn, cassava, sweet potatoes

-100 tons White rice

BTB
Mong Reussey
Bovel
Koh Krolo
Ek Phnom
Thmore kol
Banan
2,000
Immediate need to save the seedlings
-10 tons of rice seed
-6,060 litres of fuel
-9 machines


50 tons of white rice

BMC
Thmor Pourk
Svay Chek
Phnom Srok
1,000
Immediate needs to save the seedlings
5 tons rice seed
3 pumping machines
30 tons of white rice

Phnom Penh
Through NCDM
proposal to be received and reviewed
Immediate needs to save the seedlings
100 tons of rice seed


 Assistance to flood victims:
Location
Families
When assisted
Proposed assistance

Kandal
-Lvea Em
-Mouk Kampoul
500 families
At the rehabilitation stage
20 House construction
Seed
20 tons of white rice  for Food For Work

Prey Veng
- Mesang
- Ba Phnom
490 families
rehabilitation
20 House construction
19.6 tons White rice for food for work

Kratie
-
490 families
rehabilitation
House construction
19.6 white rice for food for work


The final needs assessment as well as the final identification of the
beneficiaries will be done in a joint assessment with the Provincial
Committees for Disaster Management, WFP and other agencies working in the
affected provinces.



PROPOSED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE & IMPLEMENTATION

The proposal is based on the assessment of the initial needs done by CWS
project staff as well as stated in the appeal made by the Prime Minister
and President of the National Committee for Disaster Management.


Description of assistance

The following inputs will be distributed as appropriate to the situation:


Short term rice seed

To be distributed to the affected families who have had their seedlings or
transplanted plants damaged so that they can start replanting in the next
three months from September onwards.

In the areas where there is still no water, organise a co-operative
seedling nursery in order to have them distributed to the people where
they are able to plant rice.

Pumping machines will be used to assist the farmers whose rice fields are
near to water sources to pump the needed water into the fields as well as
to support the co-operative seedling nursery. Each commune will get one
pumping machine and fuel.


White rice

To be distributed to the vulnerable poor whose livelihood depends on day
to day labour such as transplanting, clearing grass, etc.

To be distributed to the vulnerable affected (flood and drought) who join
Food for Work activities such as digging village ponds, repairing of
roads/dikes/canals etc. from November 2002.


Vegetable seeds, corn, cassava, sweat potatoes

To be distributed to the drought victims in the areas where there is not
enough rainwater for rice production.


House repair /reconstruction

The most poor, needy and affected families whose houses were washed away
by the flood waters will receive this support.


Implementation

In SVR and KPT, CWSC will use the existing mechanism in the CWS target
areas, and the implementation will be done through Village Development
Committees who will act as the disaster co-ordinator in co-operation with
the Commune Council Administrator, agricultural staff and counterparts
from the Department of Agriculture and CNGO partners.

In BTB and BMC, CWSC does not implement field activities directly, but has
capacity building schemes for Cambodian NGOs only. The 6 CNGOs partners
who work in the drought affected areas will carry out the implementation
of these relief efforts. CWS staff in BTB and BMC will receive and review
the specific proposals.

In Kandal, Prey Veng and Kratie, CWSC will work with local partners such
as the Emergency Relief and Development Commission to assist in building
up their emergency management capacity and also to improve fundraising.



ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, MONITORING & REPORTING

Administration

The CWS Cambodia Emergency Response Team at the Program Support Office
will be responsible for the overall co-ordination of the implementation
efforts.

The two Program Managers of the Partnership and Community Development
Programs who manage and supervise the projects in the 4 provinces, Svay
Rieng, Kompong Thom, Batambong and Banteay Meanchey will provide back up
support and advice to the ERTeam to ensure the smooth operation of the
relief as well as food for work activities. They will report the progress
of the activities to the Emergency Response Team.


Monitoring and Reporting

Overall monitoring and follow-up will be carried out by the CWS Emergency
Response Team in close co-ordination with the two Program Managers and
with the Project Managers in the respective target areas. Strict
guidelines for implementation and grant management are applied to the
relief assistance as well as the recovery carried out by CNGO partners.

One member of staff in each of the Project Offices is assigned to
co-ordinate the overall implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the
relief and rehabilitation activities with support from the Project
Manager. They will report to the Emergency Response Team as well as to the
Project and Program Managers in this regard.


Finance

CWS Cambodia will manage the disbursal and control of all funds. The
Emergency Response Team leader and the Central Finance Office are
responsible for timely production of reports (interim and final narrative
and financial) to be sent to the ACT CO.

Auditors: PriceWaterhouseCoopers


IMPLEMENTATION TIMETABLE

For the implementation of the relief phase, CWS proposes the following
deadline:

Assessment and start up:              September - October 2002
Implementation (relief)               October - November 2002
Close out and transit from Emergency  1 - 15 December 2002
Rehabilitation                        1 December  - 30 April 2003



CO-ORDINATION

The information sharing and co-ordination will take place at the
Provincial Committee for Disaster Management as well as the NCDM and other
NGOs.

CWS at the program and project level will co-operate with PCDM, WFP and
other NGOs in carrying out joint damage and needs assessments for flood
and drought. Where possible, CWS will work closely with local people
(village volunteers, government staff, CRC staff as well as other NGO
staff) to be able to deliver the services that are needed.

To ensure the best quality of rice seed, CWSC will work closely with the
Agricultural Quality Improvement Project (Aquip)



BUDGET

ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE

Description	Type of	No of	Unit Cost	Budget
		Unit	Units	US$	US$
DIRECT ASSISTANCE
	Food and Non Food Assistance to eight districts
	White Rice	Ton	369 	240	88,512
	Rice Seeds	Ton	55	250	13,750
	Vegetable seeds	families	2,500 	2	5,000
	Water Pumping Machines	Unit 	31	400	12,400
	Diesel for pumping machines	Litre	27,549	0.33	9,091
	Total food & non food 				128,753

	Rehabilitation
	House repairs - Kandal & Prey Veng	house	40	70	2,800

MATERIAL TRANSPORT, STORAGE, WAREHOUSING & HANDLING
	Transportation- Svay Rieng	Ton	110	15	1,650
	Transportation- Banteay Meanchey	Ton	35	15	525
	Transportation- Battambang	Ton	60	15	900
	Transportation- Kompong Thom	Ton	60	15	900
	Transportation- Kandal	Ton	1	500	500
	Transportation- Prey veng	Ton	1	300	300
	Transportation- Kratie	Ton	1	300	300
	Total Material Transport etc				5,075

PERSONNEL, ADMINISTRATION, OPERATIONS & SUPPORT
	Staff salaries & benefits
	Country Representative 	Month	8	281	2,250
	Program co-ordinator 	Month	8	460	3,680
	Salaries national staff - co-ord & distrib	Month	8	950	7,600

 Description	Type of	No of	Unit Cost	Budget
		Unit	Units	US$	US$
	Office Operations
	Rent	Month	8	175	1,400
	Utilities	Month	8	75	600
	Office Supplies	Month	8	75	600
	Vehicle - fuel	Month	8	53	425

	Communications
	Telephone 	Month	8	55	440
	Total Personnel, admin. & support				16,995

AUDIT & EVALUATION
	Audit Fees				3,500

TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENDITURE				157,123



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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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   Ecumenical Centre                          Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33
   150, route de Ferney                         Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06
   P.O. Box 2100                             E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
   1211 Geneva 2                              Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
   Switzerland                                 http://www.act-intl.org


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