Role of social capital in water management and adaptation to water scarcity in Srepok River Basin

in Dak Lak province, Vietnam

M’Nong people’s houses

Water port of M’Nong people

Cassava and maizecultivation

Paddy production

Water scarcity

Srepok River Basin

How to manage?How to adapt?

Livestock raising

Nguyen Thi Thiem, Vietnam

Coffee production

Research questions

• What are the main forms and dynamics of local water management and adaptation to water scarcity by people in Srepok River Basin in Daklak province?

• How are these forms of management and adaptation

linked or dependent on certain forms of social capital?

• To what extent is the effectiveness of these forms of water management and adaptation determined by the density of relevant social capital in the locality?

• What are the impacts of government management approach or schemes to existing social capital-based management?

HHHH

HH

HH

HH

HH

Villager

Villager

Villager

Villager

Institutions

Common waterresource

Water scarcity

Join in local government management

Join in groups and organizations

VillagerVillager

VillagerFormal institutions

Join in self-governance by entire community

To manage

To adapt

Villager

Three main forms of WM and adaptation

A shared drilled well by Household group

Shared water pumpingFacilities by HHs

Dug pond of HH group

Coffee garden

Shared dug canal of HH group

Reservoir managed bycommune government

HH

HH

HH

HH

HH

HHCooperation

Reciprocity

ExchangeTrust

Stream self-governed by entire community

Villager

Villager

Villager

Villager

Traditional institutions

Cooperation

Trust

Strict rule

Management

Water scarcity

Dug pond shared by household group

Adaptation

Concrete canal managed by commune government

Villager

Villager

Villager

Villager

Formalinstitutions

Social capital

Social capital Performance of WM & adaptation to WS

Pai Ar village: Strong village rule,

many groups, much exchange

Du Mah village: Weak village rule,

few groups, less exchange

Density Performance Functions

Decision making & plan

Water allocation

Resource mobilization

Maintain &protection

Governancestructure Mechanisms Outcomes

Comparative case study

Water scarcity context

Comparison between two villages

At community level

At household level

Diverse reciprocity and exchange between households

Findings Social capital

Strict rule ensures tight governance structure

Source: Group discussion, 2012

Governance structure

Strict rule village Weak rule village

Findings

Decision making and plan

Strict rule ensures a formal procedure of decision making & plan

Source: Group discussion, 2012

Strict rule

Weak rule

Findings

Decision making and plan

Strong rule enforcement involves participation and role of local people in decision making

Strong rule ensures decisive role of traditional institution trusted by people in decision making

Findings

Strict rule promote collective action and linkage among insiders against outsiders to protect water resources

Resource mobilization; maintenance and protectionFindings

The case 2 also indicates that

People give up economic value to protect water resources

Patterns and outcomes of water management affected by strong rule and weak ruleFindings

Very good

Good

Average

Poor

Household's assessment on water-port

27,27%

45,45%

27,27%

Du Mah Pai Ar

41,18%

47,06%

11,76%

Assessment village water port by surveyed households in two villages

Source: Household survey, 2013

Patterns and outcomes of water management affected by strong rule and weak ruleFindings

Patterns and outcomes of water management affected by strong rule and weak rule

Pai Ar’s water port - Strict rule village

Du Mah’s water port – Weak rule village

Source: Author’s field observation, October, 2012

Findings

Water management and adaptation by HH groups based on social capital

Source: Group interview, November, 2012

Sympathy and trust allow changing membership requirements into advantageous criteria for members

Findings

Decision making and plan

Trust promotes flexibly change of decision making & plan

Procedure of decision making and plan affected by social capital component

Findings

Water allocation

Rules of water allocation associates with the same production procedure andtechnique applied by all members that contributes to effective water use

Sympathy between members dominates water allocation

Resign right to use water to other members in case of serious water shortage

Reciprocity and exchange in water collection contribute to save time and timely provide water for the fields

Findings

Resource mobilization

Mechanism of resources contribution in groups affected by social capital

Findings

Outcomes

Social capital based WM and adaptation

Effectivie water allocationand use

More investment in WM and irrigation system

Creation newirrigation systems

Reduction cost of WM

Save time labor in WM and adaptation

Timely in water irrigation

Participatory approach

Findings

Household’s livelihood strategy coping with water scarcity based on social capitalFindings

Water management by local government of irrigation system and difference to social capital based management

Top-down approach

Poor design and management

Unequal distribution of water

Does not involve participation of local people, traditional institutions

Villagers broke the concrete canalbecause of inconvenience

Someone stop water flow for his fieldConcrete canal manged by

local government

Findings

Problems should be improved towards good water governance and adaptation

Weak linkage between villages which use and manage the same irrigation system

Findings

Problems should be improved towards good water governance and adaptation

Weak connection and cooperation between groups which are using the same water source

Findings

Recommendations

• Recommendations for strengthen the role of social capital in water management and adaptation to water scarcity

• Policy recommendations and measures for water management and adaptation to water scarcity at community level

• Recommendations for further research

Thank you for your attention and comments