Country Evidence/Cambodia/2023
Environmental change and resource access in aquatic food systems: a Photovoice case study of Cambodian fisheries
Peer-Reviewed
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This 2023 peer-reviewed article in Ecology and Society by Kathryn J. Fiorella, Heather Magnuson, Antara Finney Stable, Chork Sim, Voleak Phan and Elizabeth L. Fox uses a Photovoice case study to explore environmental change and resource access in Cambodian aquatic food systems around the Tonle Sap. Photovoice is a participatory research method in which community members take photographs and discuss them to express their own experiences and priorities. Through this approach, small-scale fishers documented how climate change, land-use change and the construction of dams on the Mekong River are altering the Tonle Sap’s flood pulse and ecosystem conditions. Participants described declining catches, changes in where and when they can fish, and shifts in access to aquatic foods that are central to household nutrition. The study highlights how environmental change interacts with social factors such as resource rights, competition and enforcement to shape food security outcomes. Classed as direct evidence under Livelihoods, Gender and Socioeconomics, the article provides rich qualitative, community-level evidence that complements quantitative assessments. It is useful for researchers seeking participatory methods, for policymakers concerned with inland fisheries governance, and for programmes that aim to centre community perspectives in adaptation planning for the Tonle Sap and wider Mekong basin.
Additional Details
- Author(s)
- Antara Finney Stable; Chork Sim; Elizabeth L. Fox; Heather Magnuson; Kathryn J. Fiorella; Voleak Phan
- Type
- Peer-reviewed article – Ecology and Society
- Aquaculture / Fisheries Dimension
- Small-scale Tonle Sap fishing communities and aquatic food access
- Relevance to Climate Aquaculture
- Direct
- Thematic Area
- Livelihoods, Gender & Socioeconomics
- Climate Issue
- Climate change, land-use change and Mekong dam construction shifting Tonle Sap conditions
- Adaptation / Key Contribution
- Photovoice methodology capturing fishers' first-hand experience of declining catch and changing resource access
- How to Use / Notes
- Qualitative community-level evidence