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The People and Their River

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The People and Their River The People and Their River A Survey of River-Based Livelihoods in the Xe Bang Fai River Basin in Central Lao PDR By Bruce Shoemaker, Ian G. Baird and Monsiri Baird Lao PDR/Canada Fund for Local Initiatives Vientiane, Lao PDR 15 November 2001 Table of Contents Executive Summary - Lao Language (available in hardcopy book) - English Language ..........................................................................................................i Map Introduction and Background ...................................................................................................... 1 - Methodology ................................................................................................................ 1 The Xe Bang Fai River Basin and the Survey Area ................................................................... 3 The Ebb and Flow of the Xe Bang Fai River .............................................................................. 5 The People of the Xe Bang Fai Basin .......................................................................................... 6 River-based Livelihoods................................................................................................................. 9 1. Fisheries ........................................................................................................................ 9 - Fish Migrations and River Fisheries ...................................................................... 9 - Fishing Methods .................................................................................................. 14 - Wetland Management and Fisheries .................................................................... 15 - Pha Nong Systems of Managing Wetlands and Fisheries ................................... 16 BOX: Pha Nong Management of the Nong Sok Wetlands at Ban Dong Kasin, Nong Bok District................................................ 17 BOX: Nong Seng Wetlands at Ban Na Phoke Tha in Xe Bang Fai District ........................................................................ 19 - Nong Sa Systems for Managing Fisheries ........................................................... 21 - Fishing and Local Livelihoods ............................................................................ 22 2. Dry Season Riverbank Vegetable Gardens ................................................................ 23 BOX: Fisheries, Riverbank Vegetable Gardens and Food Security in Ethnic Brou Communities................................................................ 24 3. Forests and Livelihoods ................................................................................................ .24 - Seasonally Flooded Riverine Forests ................................................................... 25 - Seasonally Flooded Wetland Forests ................................................................... 26 BOX: The Nam Pheet Wetlands ................................................................ 26 - Dry-land Forests .................................................................................................. 29 4. Rainy Season Rice-Based Agriculture ........................................................................ 32 - Lowland Rice-Based Agriculture ........................................................................ 32 - Upland Swidden Cultivation ................................................................................ 34 5. Domestic Livestock .....................................................................................................35 6. Local Economies in the Xe Bang Fai River Basin ....................................................... 36 Public Services and Access ......................................................................................................... 39 1. Health .......................................................................................................................... 39 2. Education .................................................................................................................... 40 Rural Infrastructure ................................................................................................................... 41 1. Transportation: Roads and the River ........................................................................... 41 2. Electricity .................................................................................................................... 41 Other Sources of Income ............................................................................................................ 43 1. Weaving ...................................................................................................................... 43 2. Sale of Labour ............................................................................................................. 43 3. Foreign Remittances ....................................................................................................45 External Development Interventions ......................................................................................... 46 1. Aquaculture ................................................................................................................. 46 2. Industrial Tree Plantations .......................................................................................... 46 3. Dykes and ‘Flood Prevention’ ..................................................................................... 47 4. Dry Season Rice-Based Agriculture ............................................................................ 48 - Problems with the Pumps ............................................................................... 49 - Contributing Factors Associated with Problems Related to Dry Season Irrigation ....................................................................................50 5. Large-Scale Irrigation Systems ................................................................................... 51 Women, Their River, and Livelihoods........................................................................................ 53 Natural Resources Conservation and Management .................................................................. 55 BOX: The Protected Crocodiles, Wetlands and Forests of Ban Beung Boua Thong and Ban Nao Neua ........................................................................ 56 Summary and Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 59 Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... 61 References .................................................................................................................................... 62 Appendix 1: Glossary of Lao Terms Used ................................................................................... 63 Appendix 2: Explanation of Population Data and Estimates ..................................................... 64 Appendix 3: Village Data (available in hardcopy book) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. Introduction and Background The Mekong River and its many tributaries are the essence of the natural wealth of the Lao PDR. These rivers and associated ecosystems are the foundation of the means of livelihood security and economies of local communities throughout the country, and the importance of rivers and wetlands are reflected in the knowledge and belief systems, stories, music, and arts of the people. This report describes research about the river-based means of livelihood of communities living along, and in the vicinity of, one of the great rivers of Laos, the Xe Bang Fai River in the provinces of Khammouane and Savannakhet. The research was undertaken by Bruce Shoemaker, Ian Baird and Monsiri Baird (hereafter referred to as the ‘survey team’) in early 2001 as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives project identification and review investigations. All members of the survey team speak the Lao language. Collectively they have more than twenty years of experience living and working in Laos. This report is published with the hope that it will be of interest to officials and decision-makers of the Government of Lao PDR, local and international development workers, and other individuals and organisations interested in issues related to environment and development in Laos, and will contribute to the development of a more holistic and sensitive approach to development in the Mekong River Basin. Field research was conducted in February and March of 2001. In each district the study team first went to the district administration office to explain the purpose of the study and to receive official permission to visit villages in the Xe Bang Fai River Basin. Officials in the district offices provided overviews of development issues in their districts, as well as population estimates and other statistics related to the livelihood of local people living in the basin. The study team visited a total of twenty-four villages and also talked with people from at least another 10 communities. These semi-structured interviews related to livelihood issues but did not exclude other issues that villagers felt were important and wanted to discuss. Women were often the primary sources of information regarding the importance of rivers and associated ecosystems for the livelihood security of families and entire communities. The Xe Bang Fai is one of the major rivers of central Laos and the Xe Bang
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