Building local capacity to restore Cambodia’s marine ecosystems
Cambodia’s coastal communities depend on healthy marine ecosystems for food and income. Together with Marine Conservation Cambodia (MCC) and the Chrouy Svay Community Fishery, we are establishing the first local MOSES production workshop.
Instead of importing finished reef structures, community members will learn to produce and deploy them locally, creating the knowledge and infrastructure to restore their own marine environment.
Our goal is not simply to build reefs, but to build local capacity to restore them.
Stage 1: Building the partnership
Together with MCC and Cambodian stakeholders, we developed a model in which fishing communities become active participants in marine restoration rather than simply beneficiaries.
During our visit to Cambodia, we met with various communities, including the Chrouy Svay Community Fishery and selected a location for the first local production workshop.
Community members will be trained to manufacture MOSES structures, participate in deployment and contribute to the long-term stewardship of restored marine habitats.
Stage 3: From plans to action
With support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), awarded to ReefSystems B.V., the first local production workshop and demonstration reef are being established in November 2026.
The project will demonstrate local production, reef installation and ecological monitoring, laying the foundation for expansion to other coastal communities. The demonstration focuses on developing MOSES as a scalable nature-based solution for marine ecosystem restoration while creating opportunities for local fisheries and livelihoods.
Chrouy Svay is the starting point.
Our long-term ambition is to establish seven community-operated restoration hubs along Cambodia’s coastline, capable of producing approximately 860 reefs per year and supporting the deployment of around 2,500 reefs in the first 3.5 years. ReefSystems proposal Cambodia
We are looking for partners to help expand this model to more coastal communities.
Interested in supporting the next community restoration hub?
