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

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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:iwmi@cgiar.orgWebsite:www.iwmi.org

IWMI Offices in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia OfficeC/oNationalAgricultureandForestryResearchInstitute(NAFRI)BanNongviengkhamXaythanyDistrictVientianeLaoPDR

Mailing Address:P.O.Box4199VientianeLaoPDRTel:+85621740928/770076/771438Fax:+85621770076Email:c.t.hoanh@cgiar.org

IWMI Representative located at:

Hanoi, Vietnam114yenLacStreetHaiBaTrungDistrictHanoi,VietnamTel:(84-4)8622427;Mobile:(84)913234562Email:tudaotrong49@yahoo.com.vn

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(p.mccornick@cgiar.org)