Water, faming governance and adaptation to climate change for “dike compartments”: a case study in An

Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Dr. Nguyen Van Kien (MK7)

Acting Director – Research Centre for Rural Development

An Giang University

Email: kienanu@gmail.com

CPWF Water and Food Forum

Hanoi 19-21 November 2013

Outline of the presentation

Floods/dikes

Challenges

Water

Governance?

Farming

Opportunities

3

Dikes are rapid developing across the flood prone areas of the delta since 1998

Traditional farming

4

Dikes are rapid developing across the flood prone areas of the delta since 1998

Traditional farming:One floating rice – vegetables

during dry season

Intensive rice farming – 3 crops

Research questions

• What are the existing institutional arrangements for governance of water and farming activities inside the “dike compartments” in the flood prone provinces of the MRD?

• How do farmers make decision on selection of irrigation and farming activities inside the “dike compartments” in the flood prone provinces of the MRD?

• What are the challenges and opportunities of the existing water and farming governance inside the “dike compartments” in the flood prone provinces of the MRD?

• What are the strategies for sustainable use of water and adapting to climate change inside the “dike compartments” in the flood prone provinces of the MRD?

Methods- Study Site Selection

Methods

• In depth interview at the province, district and commune levels (10 interviews)

• Focus Group Discussion: 10 FGDs at two communes • Synthesize the results from in depth interview and FGDs• Collected 68 questionnaires (structured interviews)

Key findings

Comparison of water and farming governance before and after dike installment

Before dikes After dikes

• Water/irrigation was managed by individual base

• Collective actions are applied for making decision in the choices of water/irrigation services/ farming calendar/ practice

• Difficult to manage water/irrigation due to the floodwater

• Easier to manage water/ irrigation with the support of pump machines

• Government control and operate the irrigation services via old agricultural cooperative forms

•Diversity of irrigation water service providers involve in water management

• Farmers manage their farm calendar individually

• Farming calendar is operated in a collective way

• Less diversity of farming activity • More diversity of farming activity

Comparison of existing and new institutional arrangement

Existing institution/dikes New institution (CMB)/dikes

•Top – down approach in irrigation management

• Decentralizing water management•Enhancing the role of community-based organization (Compartment Management Board)

• Decentralize water/irrigation/dikes management up to commune level

• Decentralize management of sluices, small ditch and dikes into community-based organization • Farmers play a key role in water and farming management at compartment level

• Environmental costs associated with dikes – soil degradation and water pollution

• Less environmental impacts on soil, water

Farm diversity after dikes were built

Activities 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Winter-spring rice crop (ha)

1,806.00 1,775.00 1,743.00 1,743.00 1,736.00

Summer-autumn rice crop (ha)

1,789.00 1,768.00 1,743.00 1,743.00 1,736.00

Autumn-summer rice crop (ha)

0.00 0.00 305.00 887.00 550.00

Fish cages (number)

4.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Water buffaloes (number)

13.00 10.00 7.00 8.00 23.00 23.00 17.00

Cows (number) 2.00 36.00 9.00 12.00 26.00 48.00 48.00

Pig (number) 1,362.00 1,324.00 1,564.00 2,101.00 1,218.00 2,741.00 1,204.00

Existing institution/dikes New institution (CMB)/dike

• Difficult for flood management to implement “8 crops for three years)

• Easier for flood management to implement the “8 crops for three years) – CMB is very active for enforcement of land use planning

• •

Flood management - challenges

Dike was built in 1998, but did not open the gate for flooding

Dike was built in 2007, but strictly enforce the rule of flood management

“8 crops per three years”

Dealing with conflicts in a overlapping compartment – new challanges

Old/existing system do not have CMB to deal with water conflict in a

overlapping compartment

In a new institutional arrangement, CMB is active to manage overlapping

compartment

Conclusions

• Dikes provide more opportunities for diversity of farming;• However, dikes may create environmental costs• The existing institutional arrangement does not provide

incentives for effective irrigation management;• The new institutional arrangement allows rooms for

participation and create flexibility for flood management;• The existing institutional arrangement should be reformed,

decentralize into community as the role of CMB

Thanks!