CRDT was founded by well intentioned and bright students of agriculture. They understand the concepts of renewable energy, and they had some great ideas for how to improve livelihoods and wanted to link these to environmental issues.
They recognised, however, that conservation requires large-scale, often country or region-wide initiatives. A species cannot be saved by small local interventions, nor can climate change be mitigated. To protect and maintain a habitat or ecosystem there needs to be national advocacy, specialised expertise, changes to legal frameworks and law enforcement. For these activities we needed partners.
We have been partnering with the best and most famous conservation organisations in the world. We’re funded by WWF and WCS, and are also a partner in the Wetlands Alliance Programs, which involves four countries, and include academic institutions like AIT and other International NGOs. Partnership is the only mechanism through which to achieve our huge vision of a Cambodia free from poverty and environmental degradation.
Such partnerships also enable us to advocate more effectively. We’re a member of the Save the Mekong Coalition to put national and international pressure on decision makers to properly investigate the human and environmental impacts of large scale dams on the Mekong.