LIVELIHOOD AT RISK. The reality of adaptation to climate change by smallholder
farmers in the Mekong river basin.
NAPA Project CAMBODIA
LAO PDR
MEKONG RIVER LAOS CAMBODIA.
• Population Cambodia and Laos: 22 million
• 1/3 living from less than 1 $ per day
• 70-80 % making livelihood from agriculture, forestry,
fisheries
• Large majority of smallholder farmers
• High level of biodiversity and agro-biodiversity
• High dependency on exploitation of natural
resources
• Extensive system of river basins and watersheds
• Ranked 136th/139th on HDI 2014
RICE FISH FOOD SECURITY.
• Most of the farming systems rice-based
• Significant utilization of forest products in
mountainous and upland regions
• Rich diversity of fish stock in watersheds
• Livestock raising mainly complementary
• Problems to maintain food security
corresponding to flood and drought events
• Quality nutrition cannot be maintained
throughout the year
DROUGHT FLOOD EROSION IMPACT. • Regular flood and drought an imminent feature
of Mekong life, experience and livelihood
• But: very limited knowledge of smallholder
farmers to cope with irregular flood and
drought
• Changing patterns of rainfall and temperature
• Changes in agro-ecology and reduction in
biodiversity
• Additional climatic events like heavy storms
and typhoons
• Increasing land slides and erosion; loss of soils,
poorer quality of soils
• Limited individual or institutional capacity to
address these matters adequately
NAPA CAMBODIA PARTICIPATORY WATER MANAGEMENT.
• Awareness campaigns on climate change for
smallholders farmers and local institutions
• Participatory engagement with communities
• Establishment of Farmer Water User Groups
• Appropriate water management for adaptive
rice production
• Quality seed production and rice seed
purification
• Mainstreaming of climate change into
planning and curricula development
IRAS LAO FARMING DIVERSIFICATION.
• Development of local climate change and
vulnerability scenarios with GIS applications
• Village land use planning under aspects of
climate change: drought and flood
• Community preparedness for disaster
management
• Climate change training and adaption
modules for agriculture extension services
• Pilot activities for farming system diversification
among smallholder farmers: crops, vegetables,
fruits, aquaculture, livestock, small business
development.
TECHNOLOGY EXTENSION • Micro reservoirs
• Farm and community ponds
• Small-scale irrigation systems
• Water harvesting facilities
• Adaptive rice varieties
• Crop and livestock diversification
• Training modules for smallholder farmers
• Curricula development for local schools
LOCAL RESEARCH + DEVELOPMENT.
• > 70 agricultural extension modules for
smallholder farmers
• Market orientation on cash crops for export
• Insufficient resources for local technology
development
• Gradual strategic orientation on research for
agriculture adaptation and mitigation
CROP YIELDS BALANCING LOSS + GAIN.
Mean change (green bars) from 1996–2005 to 2046–2055. Whiskers indicate the range of impacts. Tan-
coloured bars indicate projected changes in population. Most regions are likely to experience significant
decreases in self-sufficiency (orange bars), because population growth often offsets even increasing crop
yields. OECD, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009.
• Increasing human populations
• Higher competition for land, water, energy
• Different agricultural yields through climatic
variations
• Increasing food prices
• Decreasing levels of food security
• Decreasing self-sufficiency
• Significant local and regional differences
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RESILIENCE = JUST DEVELOPMENT.
Priority call for
• Enhanced transfer of appropriate technology and support to
local research + development in the Mekong region
• Focus of agriculture strategies on food security and
livelihood of smallholder families.
• Practical approaches for balancing loss and gains within
countries, regions or on a global scale.
THANK YOU.
NAPA Project
LAO PDR
CAMBODIA
IRAS - Strengthening the Resilience of the Agriculture
Sector to Climate Change Impacts
NAPA - National Adaptation Plan for Action