Chres Commune | Kampot Province
Main Geography and Administration
Baniev Commune occupies a 58.9 km² area in Chum Kiri District, Kampot Province. It is organized around three officially recorded villages – the central village of Chres, plus Prey Lavei and Kuk Phnom – which are further divided into twelve hamlets. Village heads report to the Commune Development Committee for local governance.
Demographic Profile
The 2019 national census recorded a total population of 9 324 persons. The median age was 22.6 years, indicating a youthful demographic, and the sex ratio was approximately 1.01 males per female. Households averaged 5.2 persons with 78 % headed by married couples; the remaining 22 % were single‑parent or extended families.
Agricultural Economy
Arable land is dominated by rice paddies, covering roughly 13 km² (about 22 % of the commune). Provincial yield statistics for 2021‑2022 report an average paddy production of 4 837 kg/ha in Kampot Province. Applying this figure yields an estimated rice output of ≈630 tonnes per harvest season. Secondary crops include cassava (approximately 9 km², ~150 tonnes) and maize (about 2.4 km², ~70 tonnes).
Livestock, Poultry & Aquaculture
Around 38 % of households keep cattle, collectively totaling ≈1 150 head of bovine animals. Near‑universal small‑scale poultry keeping averages ≈42 chickens per household. The commune maintains three communal fish ponds with a combined surface area of 7.9 ha. 2022 provincial fisheries data attribute roughly 0.84 tonnes of pangasius and 0.23 tonnes of tilapia to these ponds, reflecting modest but growing aquaculture activity.
Non‑Farm Activities & Income Diversification
Approximately 86 % of households engage in at least one non‑agricultural occupation. Primary non‑farm income sources are timber extraction under state permits, petty trade stalls along village roads, and seasonal construction labor. A smaller but expanding segment involves tourist guiding around nearby eco‑sites; participation has risen roughly 12 % between 2020 and 2023.
Infrastructure and Public Services
A sealed all‑weather road links Chres directly to National Road 4, enabling year‑round market access. Electrical service reaches ≈64 % of households; the remainder rely on diesel generators or solar home kits installed under a World Bank Energy Access program that mounted over 300 systems between 2019 and 2021. Water supply is mixed: a piped network supplies about one‑third of homes, while the rest draw from shallow tube wells or protected hand‑pumped wells.
Education
The education system includes Chres Primary School (≈1 080 pupils, roughly half female), Prey Lavei Secondary School (≈560 students), and Chusuk High School (≈430 learners). All three operate under provincial administration and receive annual operational grants for staffing and learning materials.
Health
A rural health centre provides basic care, staffed by one physician, two nurses, and a midwife. In 2021 it recorded roughly 28 outpatient visits per day.
Environmental Assets and Conservation
Riparian forest strips along the western boundary comprise about 45 ha of mangrove‑type vegetation protected under the provincial Upper Tonlé Sap Watershed Conservation Area designation (established 2018). These forests contribute to biodiversity, shoreline stabilization, and carbon sequestration.
Recent Development Initiatives
Early 2023 the Province partnered with an international donor agency to launch a Rural Enterprise Development Project targeting small‑scale fish farmers in Chres. The program offers fingerlings, low‑interest microloans, and training on market linkage for surplus rice. Objectives include raising farmer incomes by at least 10 % over the next three years while strengthening value‑chain connections. Together these factual elements outline Chres Commune’s demographic structure, economic base, public services, natural environment, and ongoing development efforts within Kampot Province.