The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food in the Mekong

What happened?

Kim GehebBasin Leader

• 2011: 160• 2012: 193• 2013: 230

Our forums

94 different institutions represented

Cambodia: 32 (17%)China: 13 (7%)Lao PDR: 57 (29%)Thailand: 27 (14%)Vietnam: 37 (19%)International: 27 (14%)

Government: 27 (14%)

Universities: 59 (31%)

Regional NGO:28 (14%)

Independent research org.: 27 (14%)Government research org.: 15 (8%)Consultancy:

15 (8%)Other:

21 (11%)

What were we supposed to do?

To reduce poverty and foster development by optimizing the use of water in reservoirs

If we were successful…

Reservoirs would:

Be managed in ways that are fairer and more equitable to all water users.

Be managed and coordinated across cascades to optimize benefits for all.

Be planned and managed to account for environmental and social needs.

Be used for multiple purposes besides hydropower alone.

Be better governed and the benefits better shared.

Research Development

Universities, research institutes,

bio-medical facilities,

genetics etc

UN, development NGOs,

philanthropic

foundations,

governments

Solutions

How were we supposed to do it?

ActionResearch Development

Leadership

Learning

Communications

Partnerships

Trust

4 years later… We had implemented 19 projects in China,

Lao PDR, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia. We had awarded 22 small grants. 58 fellows had conducted their research. We had 73 formal partners and ≈140

informal partners. We had 7 MOUs or letters of association. We had implemented three Mekong forums. We had secured and disbursed US$10.6

million.

Outputs (1) Emerging evidence that large irrigation

benefits can be gained from very modest use of reservoir water.

New strategies for strengthening and diversifying livelihoods in resettled communities.

A field-tested integrated water valuation framework.

Estimation of the total value of water multi-uses in three catchments.

Map of Mekong dams (both HP and other). State of Knowledge reports.

Outputs (2)

58 Fellowships reports. The MK3 ‘on-line book’. A decision-making, two team, game, played

within a ‘fictional basin’. Gender standards and safeguards for hydropower. Lots of publications, many more in 2013 and

2014. Many of other outputs, incl. films. An R4D model and partnership base has

attracted widespread attention.

Livelihoods improvement strategies and technologies trialed at THPC and Yali Falls.

Helping Vietnamese dams in Laos address gender and indigenous community aspects of implementation.

Bringing national legislation to local levels. Sustainable hydropower curricula development. A new catchment strategy for the Nam Theun – Nam

Kading RBC. HSAP trailing at two major Chinese dams. Artificial wetlands construction – and WLE interest and

uptake.

Outcomes (1)

Reservoir fisheries may be more productive than the dominant narratives suggest.

Draw down zone agricultural solutions at Yali Falls.

Multiple use for small-scale irrigation weirs. Providing informal fora for China to engage south of

the border. An emerging IWRM MSP in Cambodia. CPWF dialogues and its forums have created a new

way to discuss HP, and associated research.

Outcomes (2)

But most importantly…

A dynamic, multi-disciplinary, multi-national, multi-scale research-for-development network that delivers world-class research and generates significant developmental impacts.

Relatively modest adjustments to reservoir and dam operation can yield significant multiple use benefits.

There exist many technical applications – particularly agricultural and water-related – that can contribute to livelihoods restoration and enhancement.

Cumulative impact assessment remains a significant challenge for the system as a whole.

Impacts on the system are not all due to HP alone – e.g. fishing pressure, urban pollution etc.

Key technical messages (draft) (1)

Ecological productivity of reservoirs can be improved and increased.

Costs of dams are unevenly distributed - economic feasibility studies fail to account for the true costs of dams.

Governance remains a significant HP challenge, especially at scale.

Key technical messages (draft) (2)

AusAID IFAD BMZ

Funders

IWRP M-POWER

Co-hosts

Hoa Binh Tourist

Hanoi Event Team

Knowledge reservoir

Mia Signs Ilse Pukinskis Bounmee Maokhamphiou Hoa Bin set construction team Vietnamese Theatre and Drama

University.

Rapporteurs

Marnie MacDonald Terry Clayton

Sessions

21 Session Leaders Facilitators Presenters Panellists

Forum organisation Sengsamay Punkeo Malichanh Srithirath Tuan Nguyen Van Pham Thanh Tu Terry Clayton Emma Coats Stew Motta David Clayton Sharon Perera

Finally…

WE THANK YOU!!!!!