Notes From The Field
Samlout Commune Boundary Rectification
by Savang Min, MJP Natural Resource Management Coordinator
04 March 2010
“According to provincial records, no systematic rectification of inaccurate commune boundaries has ever taken place since Cambodia established the commune boundary system in 2001. Some programmes and projects have piloted commune boundary rectification, but mainly on the commune level with focus on individual communes only.”, said Savang, MJP Rural Planning Coordinator.
In order to test a systematic and efficient approach to rectification of erroneous commune boundaries, MJP initiated a pilot project in Samlout District of Battambang Province with the Provincial Department of Land Management, Urban Planning, and Construction & Cadastre (PDLMUPCC) in cooperation with the German Development Service (DED) from June to December 2009. This pilot aimed at i) the formalized rectification of the commune boundaries in the project area and ii) to test a systematic and efficient approach of district-wise rectification of all internal commune boundaries that can be easily replicated in other districts in Cambodia.
As result of this pilot project, MJP has now provided the government with new commune boundary maps. It is hoped that this project will contribute to the development of a standardized (but flexible!) procedure for a systematic and rapid rectification of all commune boundaries in Cambodia.