3rd Mekong Forum on Water, Food & Energy 2013. Presentation from Session 7: Restoring livelihoods: opportunities for sharing the benefits of water for resettled communities.

1. Water Valuation, Benefits and Trade off after
Resettlement – Case Study on Upstream of Nam
Gnouang Hydropower Reservoir
Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Ha Noi, Viet
Nam, November 19 to 21, 2013
BDC Mekong Project 2 Lao Team
1

2. Outline
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Study Site
Approach
Results
Conclusions/
Further analysis
2

3. Case Study in Lao PDR – Upstream Site
NG Reservoir and
resettlement villages
T-H Extension
Project
3

4. The Change: conversion of Nam Gnouang
river into a reservoir,
resettlement of local villages
Keo Saen
Kham
180 HHs
2011
VG 1
VG 1
150 HHs
2009
VG 2
320 HHs
2010
VG 3a
160 HHs
2010-11
4

5. Study Site
in Lao
PDR:
Upstream
Google Earth image in 2003
Estimated reservoir extent in 2012, by
Theun Himboun Power Company, Lao PDR
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6. • To understand how local communities
use the river water, river ecosystems
and later reservoir ecosystem
• To assess the economic importance of
the river and reservoir for local
livelihood and income
Objectives
• To compare water use patterns and
economic values before and after the
resettlement
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7. Longitudinal Survey
FGDs and
Stakeholder
Consultation
Upstream
HH survey in 4
villages
Before
Resettlement
100 HH
Upstream
HH survey in 4
villages
After
Resettlement
100 HH
Feb 2011
April 2011
Sept. 2012
Resettlement
of 180 HH
May 2013
Validation
Workshop
7

8. 8

9. River Related Income Portfolio
River Related Income portfolio of HH
Non Farm
Before Ressettlement
2%
Total = 13 Mkip
Irrigated
Agriculture
33%
Fisheries
63%
Forestry
2%
River Related Income portfolio of HH
After Ressettlement
Forestry
4%
Irrigated
Agriculture
0%
Total = 5 Mkip
Non Farm
0%
Fisheries
96%
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10. From river to reservoir fisheries
Fishing is the most important use of
reservoir
Fisheries generate a large share of
income and more cash than before, but
fisheries changed:
– Higher catch, but less diverse & lower
market value
– Seasonality shifted – from peak fish catch
in dry season to peak in rainy season
– No more harvest of other aquatic animals
– Different fishing technique requiring
more equipment
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11. Changes is not Homogeneous
Distance matters
• Before relocation: 4-5
minutes walk to the river
• After relocation: up to
30 minutes walk to the
reservoir
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12. Distance to the Reservoir an Important
factor in Livelihood strategies
Change in River Related Income Portfolio -
– Close: < 15 mn walk
– Medium: 15-33 mn
– Far: >33 mn
Before & After Resettlement
CLOSE
MEDIUM
FAR
16
Non Farm
14
Irrigated Agriculture
Million Kip/HH/year
12
Forestry
10
The distance to reservoir is an
important factor for access to
fishery resource
Fisheries
8
6
4
2
0
Before After Before After Before After
Households located close to the
reservoir have invested more in
boats, fishing gears and fishery
licenses than those located far
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13. Domestic Water use – from river
collection to Individual Well
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14. Changes in Sources of Water
Before
Resettlement
Dry Season
Tap
2%
Spring
44%
After
Resettlement
Rain Season
Rain and
spring
7%
River
54%
Rain and
river
5%
Tap
2%
River
36%
Spring
50%
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15. Access to Water is Easier.....
More Difficult
Ease of Access to Sources of Water Before and After Relocation
(1: Very easy; 5: Very difficult)
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16. and water consumption increases
Water Consumption Before and After Resettlement
(liters/household/day)
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17. ....and it saves time
Total
Total
Total
Total
Time Spent Collecting Water, Before and After Resettlement
(total hours per week)
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18. ...for making more money!
• Assuming a $2 per day of
potential economic
productivity
• The total annual
economic benefit of the
reduction in water
collection time can be
valued at approximately
$19,000 (for all 4 villages
combined)
Share of Economic Benefits from Time
Saving in Water Collection Among
4 Villages
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19. Conclusion
• During the transition period, households
relies more on natural resources
• Reservoir fisheries need to be sustained
as it has become the most important
local use of the reservoir and the main
source of income
• Need to consider the differences within
the resettlement village in terms of
access to reservoir, forest and grazing
while designing resettlement villages
• Domestic water access has dramatically
improved and made more time available
for income generation through other
activities
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20. Need for further
analysis
• The 2nd survey was too soon
after the resettlement and
agriculture activities had
not yet started
• Another survey is planned
in December 2013 to assess
the changes two and half
years after the resettlement
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