AFoCO and Cambodia’s Forestry Administration (FA) jointly organized a training on the “ICT-based Forest Fire Management System” for FA officials from February 10 to 14, 2025, at the Forestry and Wildlife Training Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This training is part of the regional project, “Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Adaptation to Climate Change and Forest Fire Management in the Mekong Region (AFoCO/037/2023),” which aims to strengthen government capacity in utilizing ICT-based forest fire management systems and approaches to enhance forest fire resilience.
The training aimed to equip FA officials with knowledge on using the ICT-based Forest Fire Management System (FFMS), a program developed for a pilot activity in Cambodia based on experiences and best practices from the Republic of Korea. The training was conducted through both lecture sessions and hands-on exercises, along with a field visit for observation and practice.
Dr. Park Joowon, a professor at Kyungpook National University in the Republic of Korea and the project’s lead consultant, led the training alongside his consultant team. Through lectures and practical instructions, participants learned about forest fire behavior, the basics of forest fire suppression, and Korea’s experience in developing the Forest Disaster Risk Management System (FIDMS), providing them with foundational knowledge for operating the ICT-based FFMS.
The training then focused on developing the FFMS program for Cambodia, with a key session conducted in the newly established “Forest Fire Management and Control Room” at the FA headquarters. Project consultants guided participants through the entire process of using the FFMS, providing comprehensive hands-on exercises for system administration and operation. Additionally, discussions explored how Korea’s smart, data-driven forest fire management technology could be adapted as a pioneering initiative in Cambodia, considering the country’s specific conditions and needs.
The training program included a one-day field visit to the project site, located in a state-owned forest plantation in Kampong Chhnang Province. Trainees observed the pilot activities of the FFMS operation and learned how to operate CCTV-equipped lookout towers, a key ICT-based tool for forest fire management. The project site notably also accomodates a field activity for another regional initiative called the “Capacity Building on Enhancing Resilience to Forest Fire, and Local Livelihood and Market Linkages (AFoCO/032/2022),” which is primarily funded by the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF) through AFoCO. The implementation of AFoCO/037/2023 and AFoCO/032/2022 in Cambodia has created strong synergy on the ground.
A total of 15 FA officials successfully completed the training, gaining experience in the ICT-based FFMS pilot program in Cambodia. Certificates that were jointly issued by the AFoCO Secretariat and the Forestry Administration of Cambodia, were awarded to the trainees. These officials will play a key role in administering and operating the pilot FFMS, with their user experience contributing to system improvements and potential future scaling. According to the project work plan, a knowledge-sharing workshop will be organized for GMS countries and other relevant AFoCO member states as well.
The training is one of the key activities under the regional project “ICT for Adaptation to Climate Change and Forest Fire Management in the Mekong Region (AFoCO/037/2023),” which showcases technological innovation in fire prevention, detection, monitoring, and management across the Mekong region. The project is being implemented for 33 months in Cambodia and Vietnam, with financial support from the Mekong-Republic of Korea Cooperation Fund (MKCF).
Drafted by Chhorn Vireak, AFoCO MKCF Country Project Coordinator and Submitted by Hae Won Son, Assistant Program Officer, Special Funds Project Team