The Challenges of Integrated Management of Mekong River Basin in Terms of People’s Livelihood

Alebel Abebe BELAY, Shah Md. Atiqul HAQ, Vuong Quoc CHIEN, Badandi ARAFAT

.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2010.21007                

Abstract

Mekong River Basin is a life for many people in six south East Asian countries. The river basin is very productive and has crucial activities like: fishing, agriculture, hydroelectric power, transportation, biodiversity and so on. However, due to mismanagement, political intentions and one way interest only for development, the river basin has already started experiencing complications. The major challenges found out were, huge hydroelectric dam constructions and other projects, high population pressure, lack of cooperation among riparian states (especially upper Mekong region and lower one), and lack of proper management system. This leads to inequitable resource use, impact on water quality, biodiversity loss, and disasters like flooding. It is a high time to make a joint venture among riparian countries for sustainable use of the resource. Multi lateral cooperation and commitment among user countries by consulting all stakeholders will benefit all to use this precious resource equitably without major ecological impacts on the river basin.

Keywords

Challenges, Ecology, IWRM, Livelihood, Mekong River, Sustainability

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	D. Clayton, “Challenge program on water and food,” CGIAR, 2008, Retrieved 22:00, 11 April 2009 from: http://www.waterandfood.org/basins/mekong-river-basin.html.
[2]	MRC, “Strategic plan 2001-2005, Mekong River commission secretariat,” Phnom Penh, 2002.
[3]	Philip Hirsch and Gerard Cheong, “Natural resource management in the Mekong River Basin: Perspectives for Australian development cooperation,” University of Sydney, 2000.
[4]	Mekong wetlands biodiversity conservation and sustainable use programme, 2004, Retrieved 12:20, March 16, 2009 from: http://www.mekongwetlands.org/Programme/mekong.htm.
[5]	Mekong wetlands biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, Retrieved 22:00, March 22, 2009 from: www.undp.org/gef/05/documents/writeups_doc/bio/MekongnotesBioD1.doc.
[6]	CGIAR, “Challenge programme on water and food, Mekong River Basin,” Retrieved 18:25, 26 march 2009 from: http://www.waterandfood.org/basins/mekong-river-basinhtml.
[7]	MRC work programme: Mekong river commission for sustainable development, 2007.
[8]	Mekong River Commission, 2008, Retrieved 16:30, April 16, 2009 from: http://www.mrcmekong.org/programmes/ flood.htm.
[9]	M. Quang, P. E. Nguyen, “Hydrologic impacts of China’s upper Mekong dams on the lower Mekong River,” 2003.
[10]	Tashi Tsering, “Mekong: Managing a transboundary River,” 2008, Retrieved 18:25, 26 march 2009 from: http://www.sdnpbd.org/river_basin/transboundary/document/mekong.pdf.
[11]	MRC Technical Paper, “An assessment of water quality in the Lower Mekong Basin, meeting the needs, keeping the balance,” No. 19, 2008.
[12]	Mekong River Commission, “Biodiversity and Fisheries in Mekong River Basin,” 2003.
[13]	A. D. Gupta, “Challenges and opportunities for integrated water resources management in Mekong River Basin: Role of water sciences in transboundary river basin management,” Thailand, 2005.
[14]	C. Marina, A. Paolo, and S. Alfredo, “Water quality control in the river Arno, science direct, waster research,” Vol. 30, No. 10, pp. 2673–2680, 2002.
[15]	D. Coates, A. F. Poulsen, and S. Viravong, “Governance and transboundary migratory fish stocks in the Mekong River Basin,” Presented at the MRC Third Fisheries Technical Symposium, Mekong River Commission, Phnom Penh, in press, 2000.
[16]	Mekong River Commission: Annually Report, 2006.
[17]	G. Halusa, “Visible earth,” 2008, Retrieved 18:25, 05 April 2009 from: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id= 19596.
[18]	IRIN, 2008, Retrieved 20:00, April 16, 2009 from: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IRIN/4842e788c4ef45c66b509654ebfb6652.htm.
[19]	Mekong River Commission, “Regional multi-stakeholder consultation on the MRC hydropower program,” consultation proceedings, 2008.
[20]	Integrated approaches and applicable systems for medium-term flood forecasting and early warning in the Mekong River Basin, 6th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, proceeding, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 2008.