Hang Sun Tra 1
Cambodia experienced civil war for more than 30 years and this conflict had serious repercussions for the forestry sector. In 1980, when the Khmer Rouge regime was defeated, forest management activities resumed but the Department of Forestry and Wildlife (DFW) had to make a fresh start with only three professional officers and a handful of technical and vocational
staff who had survived the war. All of the forest offices, facilities and related forestry data from prewar
times were dispersed or lost and only fragmented forestry data could be recovered
by DFW staff. Young foresters and support staff have been recruited gradually
but the majority have insufficient skills and experience for their positions.
The limited knowledge of statistical data management for existing forest resources
and the paucity of forestry facilities are weaknesses that generate ambiguity
and discrepancies in the management of forestry data. These issues are major
constraints for sustainable forest management nationwide.
Since the resumption of work in 1980 to date,
forestry data are considered to be embryonic and a statistics division has
yet to be re-established. The present Planning and Accounting Office has a
limited role in forest data collection, being concerned primarily with forest
revenue only. Separate offices, under the direct supervision of the DFW, collect
and own different data. There is no dissemination of information among these
offices or units. Moreover, there are insufficient forestry data for planning
and other purposes. Existing data and information remain classified within
individual units; as such, information is not released without permission.
Different government institutions report different data, exemplified by the disparity
of data in office reports from the same department. This is attributable to
the lack of transparency in divisions and institutions. The Central Department
of Forestry, the provincial forestry offices, the Ministry of Economy and
Finance, and the Ministry of Commerce do not coordinate their work properly.
For instance, data on forest product revenue in reports by the Ministry of
Commerce differ from those found in documentation from the Ministry of Economy
and Finance and the DFW.
There are many reasons for these discrepancies. They are, inter alia, the weak capacity of the DFW and its inexperienced staff; no incentives
to improve work performances; few appropriate training programs; poor coordination
and information flow among units, offices and departments; and inconsistent
formats and different deadlines produce conflicting figures.
During the war, the Khmer Rouge and other political factions occupied a number
of border areas. In order to support military action, each faction exploited
natural resources for revenue. They felled trees and traded logs illegally
across borders. Since the country was at war and anarchy was rife, even in
remote areas, the DFW was unable to prevent these activities. Data on wood
products traded across borders were never reported. Illegal logging and smuggling
continued even after hostilities had ceased.
Besides official data that are recognized by the government, there are also unofficial
reports from non-government organizations (NGOs) and the press. Global Witness
is a London-based NGO that has been involved in covering and reporting illegal
forestry trade. The inconsistency between official and unofficial figures
is a major constraint for the management of forestry resources.
Discrepancies in data reporting generate unreliable figures for decision-making,
which results in unsatisfactory planning for forest management. Using unconfirmed
data for specific purposes confuses people; this is compounded by the lack
of inter-institutional transparency, creating a negative image for resource
management. Users no longer have faith in the data. Eventually, the ambiguity
in forestry data leads to the depletion of forest resources.
The present status of forestry statistics and data management is poor. National
reports on forestry data continue to remain ambiguous. The DFW’s weaknesses
and internal problems are the major constraints for the management of forestry
statistics.
The government should:
Since Cambodian information management is poor, support from FAO or
other leading agencies is necessary.
