Category: Research Highlight

The wetlands of the Lower Songkhram River Basin (LSRB) have been identified as nationally important in the Wetland Inventory of Thailand. They are relied on for livelihoods of local communities, and provide an important home for aquatic biodiversity, and a nursery ground for at least 17 species including the Critically Endangered Giant Catfish Pangasianodon gigas (IUCN Red List). The WWP initiative is part of a wider project to build capacity and strengthen community participation within LSRB. It is being delivered…

GRANT INFORMATION Donor: Australian Aid Date awarded: 1 April 2013 Project End Date: 31 December 2016 (with current ongoing follow-up discussions and analysis) OVERVIEW This research project, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, has focused on women’s economic empowerment and social protection projects in four Mekong countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam. It involves an exploration of the gaps between the level of policy makers and intended beneficiaries in terms of their conceptions of the ideas…

BACKGROUND Approximately 22 million hectares of land area are under rice cultivation in the Lower Mekong Basin region, with about 90% of this area rainfed, lacking reliable irrigation facilities. Smallholder farmers predominate in the region but they are able to produce much less than is possible due to poor access to new ideas, depletion of the natural resource base and constraining institutional and policy environments. This has created a vicious cycle of low productivity, pervasive poverty, and severe food insecurity….