SANSOM MLUP PREY (SMP) was established in 2009 to develop, promote and market wildlife-friendly products grown or crafted in communities located in all categories of land protected for their biodiversity value in Cambodia. This work, undertaken in partnership with Wildlife Conservation Society, is effectively linking wildlife conservation to improving the livelihoods of villagers limited by the constraints of living in a remote area and with little opportunity to expand operations due to limited market access.

SMP buys malis paddy at a premium from village marketing networks (VMN), whose members are made up of farmers who are often not food secure and have traditionally relied on forest resources for income. Voluntarily recruited, the villagers agree to abide by conservation rules and regulations, including wildlife protection and maintenance of land-use boundaries, which the relevant government ministries and the community members collectively formulate. By randomly monitoring farmers’ activities, SMP certifies that conservation agreements are being upheld.

Ibis Rice, an all-natural fragrant rice, is being served by ecologically responsible hotels and restaurants in Cambodia. It is also available in groceries and supermarkets in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

A new ’Rice to the Occasion’ outreach program provides the opportunity to * donate rice to a worthy organization or family while at the same time * helping provide a better income to subsistence farmers and * protecting wildlife in Cambodia. Proceeds from this program go towards educating the villagers on the benefits of saving their forests and supporting biodiversity, and helping SMP attain sustainability and grow to include more villages in the Ibis Rice wildlife friendly project.

Find out more at www.smpcambodia.org