151 Case study – Climate-resilient agriculture in Cambodia Project approach By implementing drought-tolerant organic-certified seed, complementary soil conservation techniques, and crop diversification this project promotes soil fertility, sustainable production, secure livelihoods and improves farmer resilience to climate change. From previous Ibis Riceprojects and research, it is estimated that farmers who follow wildlife-friendly compliance,and can thus sell their rice into the scheme, improve their incomes by at least 20%.This premium incentivises farmers to join the Ibis Rice scheme and abide by conservation agreements. Additionally, switching to a drought-resilient rice strain and implementingnew soil conservation techniques will improve food security in protected areas where here are no legal alternative food or income sources during drought years. Ibis Rice devolves decision-making process surrounding natural resource use tolocal communities, building capacity and establishing Village Marketing Networks.These Networks are responsible for ensuring that the community follows an agreedland-use plan and financially incentivising compliance. Compliance, in turn, benefitsthe protected habitats and globally threatened species. Project outcomes The expected outcomes of the full-term duration of the project (four years) are as follows: Ibis Rice project expanded to directly benefit a further 1,270 families. The capacity of Village Marketing Network to manage Ibis Rice compliance is increased by at least 50%. > 1,250 families of Ibis Rice farmers have tested and adopted drought-resilient agricultural practices and complementary soil conservation techniques. Deforestation rates decrease around target villages compared to deforestation rates in the wider landscape. This outcome assumes that premiums paid for Ibis Rice are sufficient to change behaviours, which has been shown through previous Darwin projects. Increase of 20% in the number of critically endangered nests protected. Poverty status improved by 20% for people in Ibis Rice villages (measured through surveys on Basic Necessity Scores, rice harvest and food security). Impacts of Ibis Rice program on threatened bird populations, habitat trends and human livelihoods are monitored and disseminated to a wide audience, including relevant national and regional Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) policymakers. Lessons learnt Incentives to promote compliance may need to look beyond economic drivers and adapt approaches towards the local context. This project found groups continuing to engage in illegal activities were incentivised to engage when approached directly, increasing community buy-in. Approaches towards local community engagement should be inclusive of all smaller groups, such as smaller networks of farmers, which may not be reached effectively. Sustainability and legacy of project This project is designed to expand the Ibis Rice concept as a locally managed, climate-change resilient initiative that can be sustained without future inputs. The project delivers an alternative development pathway with clear short-term financial benefits and structures that support the long-term socioeconomic development of local communities. Village Marketing Networks facilitate planned, sustainable resource use. Land-use plans thatform the basis for the conservation agreements and the delineation of community-use zones within protected areas guarantee access to forest resources by participants. By registeringthese plans with government, the project ensures that land cannot be appropriated for development by agro-industrial plantations. Ibis Rice has proven to be a relatively low cost mechanism for incentivising conservation, which at current scale and input can be sustained through market sales alone. Potential for further expansion of the concept is high, owing to the number of suitable villages and communitybuy-in. This potential becomes accessible when international certification is achieved to open stable, high-volume, high-value international markets, thus securing funding of on-going activities. Further information: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project/DAR24028/ Diagram of the NbS interactions showing that climate-resilient agriculture,coupled with PES schemes, can provide multiple benefits. Climate changeadaptation Nitrogen fixation andcarbon sequestration Soil fertility Increased incomes & livelihood benefits Biodiversity enhancement Climate change mitigation More habitat for wildlife Forest protection Certification Drought-tolerate rice Devolvedgovernance Return to Principles