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IWMI Research in Southeast Asia
• Growing food sustainably in the face of rapid change
• Vietnam: Balancing economic growth and environmental degradation
• Lao PDR: Assessing impacts of new infrastructure and climate change
• Cambodia: Rehabilitating surface irrigation schemes to benefit all
• Thailand: Sharing knowledge on aquifer recharge initiatives
• Selected current research initiatives in the region
Water ManagementI n t e r n a t i o n a l
I n s t i t u t e
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Southeast Asia is undergoing rapid population growth accompanied by social, economic and environmental change.
Water and food challenges for Southeast Asia• SoutheastAsia’swaterresourcesareabundantbutunequallydistributedgeographically
andseasonally.Thisaffectsfoodsecurityforfarmers,aswellassupplytonon-agriculturalsectors.
• AchievingtheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)whilecontinuingtosustainthepopulationanddelivereconomicgrowth,presentswatermanagerswithaconsiderablechallenge.Decision-makersandcommunitiesneedtofindwaystomanagechangeinlightoftheclimaticshiftsforecastfortheregion.
• Themega-deltasoftheChaoPhraya,Red,MekongandIrrawaddyrivers,alongwiththeTonleSapFloodplain,arethericebowlsofSoutheastAsiaandarecrucialtomeetingglobalgraindemand.Currentagriculturalpracticescontributetohighratesofdeforestationandsoilerosion,decliningsoilfertility,andchangesinwatervolumesandquality.Addressingthisdegradation,whilemaintainingeffectiveecosystemservices,willbevitalforenhancingthefutureagriculturalperformanceoftheregion.
• SoutheastAsiannationsneedtotransformunderperformingmedium-andlarge-scalesurface-basedriceirrigationsystemstosecurefutureregionalandglobalfoodsupplies.Thereisaneedtorethinkirrigationintheregionsothatacombinationofsurfacewaterandgroundwaterresourcesareusedefficiently.
• Risingpopulationsandtheindustrializationoftheregionisrapidlyincreasingthedemandforelectricity.Dams,whichwouldproducesubstantialpower,areplannedforallthemajorrivers.However,thelikelytrade-offsbetweentheeconomicbenefitsofhydropowergenerationandimpactsonecosystemservicesandthelivelihoodsandfoodsecurityofmillionsofpeopleneedtobecarefullyassessed.
• Duringthenext20to30years,themanagementoflandandwaterresourcesinSoutheastAsiawillbeshapedbyacomplexmixtureofsocial,economicandenvironmentalfactors.Togetherthesewillhaveimpactswhichwillbecomparableto,orgreaterthan,thedirecteffectsofclimatechange.
Front cover photo credits:Julie van der Bliek, IWMI
Our vision
Waterforafood-secureworld
Our mission
Toimprovethemanagementoflandandwaterresourcesforfood,livelihoodsandtheenvironment
About IWMI
IWMIisaninternationalnon-profitorganizationthatisoneofthe15researchcenterssupportedbytheConsultativeGrouponInternationalAgriculturalResearch(CGIAR).
IntroductionThecountriesofSoutheastAsiaexhibitvastlydifferenthydrological,landandsocioeconomiccharacteristicsreflectingtheirvaryingdegreesofeconomicdevelopmentandcontrastingpoliticalbackdrops.Althoughindividualnationsandregionsareprogressingatdifferentspeeds,agriculturaltrendsaregenerallyfollowingthesamepattern:intensification,specialization,increasedagrochemicaluseandmechanization.Allthegovernmentsintheregionrecognizethecriticalrolethatlandandwaterresourcesmanagementwillplayastheareadevelopsfurther.
Growing food sustainably in the face of rapid changeSoutheastAsiaisundergoingrapidchange.Thepopulationhasdoubledinthelast40yearstoanestimated260million.Thisisexpectedtoriseto320millionby2050.Theeconomiesoftheregionaregrowingrapidlyduetoincreasinginvestmentintheindustrialsectorandinfrastructure.Thegrossdomesticproduct(GDP)percapitafortheregiongrewbetween5%and10%perannumoverthepastdecade.However,manypeoplestilllivebelownationalpovertylines.The2010GlobalHungerIndexindicated‘serioustoalarming’levelsofhungerinallcountriesexceptThailand,Malaysia,SingaporeandBrunei.
AgriculturalproductionhasincreasedacrossSoutheastAsiainthepast20years.Thisisduetolandexpansion,increaseduseofeffectiveirrigationandfertilizer,andimprovedplantvarieties.Productionofcommoditiessuchasrice,oilcropsandcoarsegrainshasmorethandoubledsince1990,outpacingtheregion’srapidpopulationgrowth.Meanwhile,inthemoredevelopednationssuchasThailand,otherindustrieshaveoutgrownagriculture’scontributiontoGDP.Thaifarmersnowonlycontributearound10%ofGDP.
Thisincreasedagriculturalproductionhasnotcomewithoutenvironmentalcost.Landdegradationnowaffectsbetween10%and40%oftheregion.Highratesofdeforestation,soilerosion,decliningsoilquality,andchangesinwatervolumesandqualityaredirectlylinkedwithagriculturalpracticesandotherhumanactivities.Changesinlandscapesassociatedwithagriculturehaveweakenedoreradicatedessentialregulatingecosystemservicessuchasflood-retentioncapacity,erosioncontrolandbiologicalpestcontrol.
ProposedwaterresourcesinfrastructuredevelopmentinthemajorriverbasinsofSoutheastAsiawillresultinchangestoriverflowsatanunprecedentedscaleandrate.TheprojectedwaterirrigationdemandofthecombinedLowerMekongcountriesisestimatedtobelessthanthelow-flowseasondischargeoftheriversystem,andpresentssignificantopportunitiestodevelopirrigatedagriculture.However,withfreshwaterfisheriesvitaltofoodsecurityintheregion,theproductivecapacityoffreshwaterecosystemsshouldbeprotectedfromtheimpactsofsuchdevelopments.
Overthenext20to30years,agricultureandwaterresourceswillbeshapedbyacomplexmixofsocial,economicandenvironmentalfactorswithimpactsofatleastthesameorderofmagnitudeastheforecastimpactsofclimatechange.Thechallengefacingagriculturalandwaterresourcedevelopersintheregionishowtosustainablyproducemorefoodinthisperiodofrapidchange.Agriculturemustbetransformedtodeliverfoodsecurity,reinvigorateenvironmentalservices(includingcarbonsequestration)andunderpineconomicsecurityinruralareas.Globalawarenessofclimatechangehasbroughtanenhancedunderstandingofthevulnerabilityofnaturalsystemsandanew,longer-termperspectivetonationalandregionalplanning.Thisnewperspectivepresentsanopportunitytoradicallyrethinkapproachestonaturalresourcemanagement.
International donors
AgenceFrançaisedeDéveloppement(AFD)
AsianDevelopmentBank(ADB)
AustralianAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(AusAID)
AustralianCentreforInternationalAgriculturalResearch(ACIAR)
BundesministeriumfürwirtschaftlicheZusammenarbeitundEntwicklung(FederalMinistryforEconomicCooperationandDevelopment)(BMZ),Germany
DanishInternationalDevelopmentAgency(DANIDA)
DeutscheGesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit(GIZ)GmbH,Germany
EuropeanCommission(EC)
FrenchMinistryofForeignAffairs
InternationalFundforAgriculturalDevelopment(IFAD)
JapanInternationalCooperationAgency(JICA)
MinistryofForeignAffairs,theNetherlands
SwedishInternationalDevelopmentCooperationAgency(SIDA)
SwissAgencyforDevelopmentandCooperation(SDC)
UKDepartmentforInternationalDevelopment(DFID)
UnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment(USAID)
WorldBank
Summary of IWMI’s research in Southeast Asia IWMI’sworkfocusesontheGreaterMekongSubregion(GMS),whichencompassesVietnam,LaoPDR,CambodiaandThailand,whilenewresearchhasexpandedintootherSoutheastAsiancountries.IWMIfocusesonlandandwatermanagementresearchtailoredtotheneedsandprioritiesofindividualcountries.
Vietnam: Balancing economic growth and environmental protectionAsVietnamevolvestobecomeamiddleincomecountry,itfacessignificantchallengesinbalancingrapideconomicgrowthwithenvironmentalprotection.IWMI’sresearchhasfocusedonthreegeographicregionswherepovertyisendemicandpersistentandwherethedevelopmentofwaterresourcesinfrastructurecouldhavepotentiallynegativeimpactsonlivelihoods:theMekongDelta,CentralHighlandsandNorthernUplands.
• Overthepasttenyears,IWMIinpartnershipwiththeInstitutdeRecherchepourleDéveloppement(IRD)andtheSoilsandFertilizersResearchInstitute(SFRI),haveconductedresearchtobetterunderstandandmanagesoilerosion.Forinstance,intheNorthernUplands,thepartnershaveinvestigatedhowhydrologywithinsmallcatchmentsrespondstoland-usechanges.Humanactivitieswithinthesehighlyincisedcatchmentshaveincreasedthequantityofsedimentarrivinginriversandlakes.Thisinturnhashadnegativeimpactsonwaterstoragestructuressuchasreservoirs.
• Anongoingresearchprogramisstudyingwaystonegotiatebenefit-sharingdealsbetweenhydropowercompaniesandcommunitieslocatedwithintheimpactzonesofselecteddams.Thehopeistoprovideincentivessocommunitiesadoptappropriateland-stewardshippracticesandalternativelivelihoodsthatpreventsoilerosionandgeneratesmallervolumesofsediment.
• IWMIandpartnershavealsoworkedontheuseofwastewaterforirrigation.InHanoi,wastewaterisusedextensivelyinperi-urbanareastogrowriceandvegetables,aswellasforrearingfish.Researchersquantifiedthedegreeofcontaminationinseveralfoodcropsandestablishedinterventionstolimitthepotentialhealthrisksofwastewateruse.
Soil erosion causes problems in Vietnam, as sediments washed into rivers cause dams to silt up.
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International partners
Centredecoopérationinternationaleenrechercheagronomiquepourledéveloppement(CIRAD)
CGIARChallengeProgramonWaterandFood(CPWF)
CommonwealthScientificandIndustrialResearchOrganisation(CSIRO)
DanishHydraulicInstitute(DHI)
FoodandAgricultureOrganizationoftheUnitedNations(FAO)
HelsinkiUniversityofTechnology(TKK)
Insitutderecherchepourledéveloppement(IRD)
InternationalCentreforEnvironmentalManagement(ICEM)
InternationalCenterforTropicalAgriculture(CIAT)
InternationalRiceResearchInstitute(IRRI)
InternationalUnionforConservationofNature(IUCN)
JapanInternationalResearchCenterforAgriculturalSciences(JIRCAS)
NationalInstituteforRuralEngineering(NIRE),Japan
NicholasInstituteforEnvironmentalPolicySolutions
StockholmEnvironmentInstitute(SEI)
UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgramme(UNEP)
WageningenUniversityandResearchCentre(WUR)
WorldVegetableCenter
WorldFishCenter
• In2010,researchaimedatoptimizingreservoirmanagementforenhancinglivelihoodsbeganintheCentralHighlandsofVietnam.PartofaregionalinitiativewithcomplementaryactivitiesinLaoPDRandCambodia,theresearchisexpectedtoimprovetheproductivityandincreasetheequitableuseofwaterstoredinreservoirs.Projectresearcherswillcomparevariouspossibleuses,suchasirrigatingcropsandrearingfish,inconjunctionwithhydropowerproductionandseektooptimizeincome,foodsecurity,waterproductivityandenvironmentalsustainability.
• DramaticdevelopmentsinriceproductivityhavehelpedtheMekongDeltabecomeanimportantsuppliertoglobalmarkets.However,competitionbetweenricefarmers(needingfreshwater)andshrimpgrowers(requiringbrackishconditions)hasresultedinconflict.IWMIandpartnershelpeddevelopalandusemapandsluicegateprotocoltoregulatesalinitylevelsinriverandcanalsystemsthatmettheneedsofbothusers.
• Aninitiative,instigatedin2011bytheInternationalRiceResearchInstitute(IRRI)andpartners(includingIWMI),isaddressingadaptationtoclimatechangeatthefarmlevelinthedelta,focusingonmoreefficientuseofsoilandwaterresources.
Lao PDR: Assessing impacts of new infrastructure and climate changeLaoPDRdiffersfromothercountriesintheGMSinthatithaslowpopulationdensity,underdevelopedinfrastructureandawidelydispersedpopulation.Agricultureemploysover80%ofthepopulation,andatleastathirdofpeopleremainbelowthepovertyline.However,LaoPDRisthelargestcontributorofwatertotheMekongandoverthecomingdecadeitwilldevelopthisresource.ResearchcarriedoutbyIWMI’sofficeinVientianehasfocusedontheimpactsthatnewwaterresourcesinfrastructurewillhaveonthebasinandlivelihoodsandonhowclimatechangewillinfluencefutureflowregimesoftheriver.
• AregionalinitiativeonMekongWaterFuturesisbeingimplementedbytheAustralianCommonwealthScientificandIndustrialResearchOrganisation(CSIRO),supportedbyIWMI.Toaddresshouseholdfoodsecuritythereisaneedtodiversifyandintensifyagriculturalproductionsystems.Thisrequiresimprovedaccesstowaterresourcesinthedryseason.AtapilotvillageinSavannakhetProvinceinsouthernLaoPDR,researchersareexploringthepotentialforcommunity-basedgroundwaterirrigationandmanagementtoprovidefarmerswithwaterduringthedryseason.
Water sampling for studying soil erosion in the Houay Pano watershed, Luang Prabang, Laos.
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Regional partners
AsianInstituteofTechnology(AIT)
MekongProgramonWater,EnvironmentandResilience(M-Power)
MekongRiverCommission(MRC)
SoutheastAsianRegionalCenterforGraduateStudyandResearchinAgriculture(SEARCA)
SoutheastAsiaSTARTRegionalCenter,GlobalChangeSysTemforAnalysis,ResearchandTraining(START)
SustainableMekongResearchNetwork(Sumernet)
TheWetlandsAlliance
WorldWildlifeFund(WWF)GreaterMekongProgramme
Cambodia: Rehabilitating surface irrigation schemes to benefit allAlthoughgarmentmanufacturing,tourismandconstructionallcontributetotheCambodianeconomy,agriculturestillplaysasignificantrole.Two-thirdsofthepopulationisemployedintheagriculturesector.ManyCambodianfarmersstillstruggletosecurehouseholdfoodsecurity.Achievingtheintensificationoffarmingsystemsrequiredtoguaranteesufficientcropsiscontingentontherebeingadequatewatersuppliesforirrigationduringthedryseason.
IWMIhashelpedtheCambodianGovernmentimplementParticipatoryIrrigationManagement(PIM)inrehabilitatedsurface-basedirrigationschemes.CommuneAgroecosystemAnalysis(CAEA)enablescommunitiestoimproveresourcemanagementdecision-makingandtakeintoaccountnon-agriculturalusessuchasfishing.TheCAEAprocessiscontinuallyunderreviewandimprovements,suggestedbyIWMI,werepilot-testedinfourcommunesintheTonleSapBasin,andwillbeappliednationwide.
Thailand: Sharing knowledge on aquifer recharge initiativesIWMI’sworkinThailandoriginallyfocusedon:
• mappingcadmiumcontaminationofricecrops;
• rehabilitatingdegradedsoilsbyapplyingclay-basedmaterials;and
• nurturingriverbasinorganizations.
Asthecountryhasdeveloped,IWMIhasconcentratedmoreonmarginalizedregions.Inthenortheastofthecountry,forinstance,IWMI’sresearchersareinvestigatingcommunity-levelParticipatoryIrrigationManagement(PIM)anddevelopingkeyindicatorsforagriculturalsustainability.
Selected current research initiatives in the region
Maximizing water productivity in Laos
LaoPDRproducesmorethanone-thirdoftheMekongRiverflowsandhasawealthofwaterresourcesthatareyettobeharnessed.TheNamNgumRiverBasinisoneofthemostimportantintermsofannualflows,populationandfoodproduction.WithwateravailabilityfargreaterthanwaterneedsintheNamNgumcatchment,IWMIandpartnersareexploringwaystodevelopthisuntappedresourceforthebenefitofthenation.Theyareassessinglikelyimpactsonlivelihoodsandanalyzingtrade-offsunderdifferentdevelopmentscenarios.
Cambodia’s waterways provide water for irrigation and fish for protein, as well as supporting floating communities.
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National partners
CambodianAgriculturalResearchandDevelopmentInstitute(CARDI)
CanThoUniversity,Vietnam
ChulalongkornUniversity,Thailand
DepartmentofAgriculture(DoA),MinistryofAgricultureandCooperatives,Thailand
DepartmentofAgriculturalExtension(DAE),MinistryofAgriculture,ForestryandFisheries(MAFF),Cambodia
DepartmentofIrrigatedAgriculture(DIA),MinistryofWaterResourcesandMeteorology(MOWRAM),Cambodia
DepartmentofEnergyPromotionandDevelopment(EPD),MinistryofEnergyandMines(MEM),LaoPDR
DepartmentofIrrigation(DoI),MinistryofNaturalResourcesandEnvironment(MoNRE),LaoPDR
HanoiUniversityofAgriculture,Vietnam
InlandFisheriesResearchandDevelopmentInstitute(IFReDI),CambodianFisheriesAdministration,Cambodia
InstituteofMeteorology,HydrologyandEnvironment(IMHEN),MinistryofNaturalResourcesandEnvironment(MoNRE),Vietnam
KasetsartUniversity,Thailand
KhonKaenUniversity,Thailand
LandDevelopmentDepartment(LDD),MinistryofAgricultureandCooperatives,Thailand
NamNgumRiverBasinCommittee(NNRBC),LaoPDR
NationalAgricultureandForestryResearchInstitute(NAFRI),MinistryofAgricultureandForestry(MAF),LaoPDR
Managed groundwater recharge in Thailand
ResearchersareexaminingthefeasibilityofManagedAquiferRecharge(MAR)asatechniqueforhaltingthedeclineofgroundwaterlevelsinthelowernorthregionofThailand.Thisiswhenexcesssummerflowsarestoredundergroundandusedduringthedryseasonforirrigation.IWMIisprovidingexpertguidanceandhelpinglocalThaihydrogeologistsandengineerstodeveloptheirMARskills.IWMIwillcontributetothedesignofextensionmaterials,developoperatingplans,advisepostgraduatestudentsandproducejointpublicationsontheprojectfindings.
Regional initiative on water storage infrastructure
Researchersareexploringwaysinwhichripariancommunitiescanimprovetheirlivelihoodsbydevelopingwaterstorageinfrastructure.Suitablestrategieswillbroadentheusesofreservoirwatertosupportlivelihoods,benefitripariananddownstreamcommunities,increasethelifespanofreservoirsandmaintainhydropower-generatingcapacity.Theresearchwilltakeintoaccountthevariousneedsofdifferentusergroupswithafocusontheimportanceofgender.
Transboundary water governance and the logic of hydropower development
WatergovernanceintheGMSalmostalwaysmeanstransboundarywatermanagement.Researchersareworkingtoprovideinformationandadvicetoimprovethewayinternationallysharedwatersarecooperativelymanaged.Currentstudiesaimtoimprovethelinksbetweentransboundarydecision-makingbodiesandnationalbureaucracies,andensurethatpolicymeasuresinhydropowerplanningareinlinewiththegovernments’aspirationstogeneraterevenueandimprovewell-being.
Regional initiative on agriculture
AgricultureintheGMSisrapidlyshiftingfromtraditionalsubsistencefarmingtomoderncommercialfarming.Populationincrease,economicgrowth,socialchange,globaltradeandclimatechangeareamongthemaindriversofthischange.IWMIresearchersareexploringhowclimatechangemayaffectfoodsecurityandenvironmentaldegradationintheGMS.Thisinvolvesmapping,assessingandanalyzinginformation.Thisdatacanthencontributetothedevelopmentofopportunitiestouseagriculturetomitigateclimatechangeandenvironmentaldegradation.
The Mekong River where IWMI researchers are working to improve governance of transboundary cooperation.
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National partners
NationalUniversityofLaos(NOUL),LaoPDR
NongLamUniversity,HoChiMinhCity,Vietnam
RoyalIrrigationDepartment(RID),MinistryofAgricultureandCooperatives,Thailand
SoilsandFertilizersResearchInstitute(SFRI),VietnameseAcademyforAgriculturalScience(VAAS),Vietnam
SouthernInstituteforWaterResourcesPlanning(SIWRP),MinistryofAgricultureandRuralDevelopment(MARD),Vietnam
WaterandEnvironmentResearchInstitute(WERI),MinistryofNaturalResourcesandEnvironment(MoNRE),LaoPDR
Contact InformationIWMI Headquarters andRegional Office for Asia127SunilMawathaPelawatte,BattaramullaSriLanka
Mailing Address:P.O.Box2075ColomboSriLankaTel:+94112880000,2784080Fax:+94112786854Email:[email protected]:www.iwmi.org
IWMI Offices in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia OfficeC/oNationalAgricultureandForestryResearchInstitute(NAFRI)BanNongviengkhamXaythanyDistrictVientianeLaoPDR
Mailing Address:P.O.Box4199VientianeLaoPDRTel:+85621740928/770076/771438Fax:+85621770076Email:[email protected]
IWMI Representative located at:
Hanoi, Vietnam114yenLacStreetHaiBaTrungDistrictHanoi,VietnamTel:(84-4)8622427;Mobile:(84)913234562Email:[email protected]
Water ManagementI n t e r n a t i o n a l
I n s t i t u t e
Printed:October,2011
RegionalDirectorforAsia:PeterMcCornick([email protected])