Page 1 of 15 Regional Environmental Technical Assistance 5771 Poverty Reduction & Environmental Management in Remote Greater Mekong Subregion Watersheds Project (Phase I) RRA report on Nam Mae Hkok Watershed, Eastern Shan State Myanmar Watershed Profile By U Sit Bo U Zaw Win CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Mekong Watershed Situation in Myanmar 3. Proposed Watershed Area for Myanmar 2 4. RRA Tool 2 5. General Overview of the Nam Mae Hkok Watershed Area 2 5.1 Biophysical information 2 5.1.1 Land use 2 5.1.2 Climate 2 5.1.3 Geology and soil 3 5.1.4 Water Resources 3 5.1.5 Forest Resources 3 5.1.6 Wild Life 3 5.1.7 Infrastructure 3 5.2 Socio Economic Information 3 5.2.1 Population Structure 3 5.2.2 Livelihoods 4 5.2.3. Per Capita Available Land Resource 4 5.2.4 Labour and Gender 4 6. Upland Town Profile 5 6.1 Location and Infrastructure 5 6.2 Population 6 Page 2 of 15 6.3 Main Economic Sectors 6 6.4 Role of Public Sector and Local Government in Promoting Enterprise 6 6.5 Development of Industries Service Centres 6 6.6 Participation of People 6 6.6.1 Present Employment in Industries of Services Sectors 6 7. Method of Data Collection Village Check List 1. Introduction 2. Village Check List 2.1 Seik Khaung Village 2.2 Pu Mo Village 2.3 Brief on Checklist for household interviews Appendix 1. Upland town (Mongsat ) population & health profile 2. Check list for household interview (lowland fanner, male, married) 3. Cheek list for household interview (lowland farmer, female, married) 4. Check list for household interview (lowland fanner, male, single) 5. Check list for household interview (lowland fanner, female, single) 6. Check list for household interview (upland farmer, male, married) 7. Check list for household interview (upland fanner, female, married) 8. Check list for household interview(upland fanner, male, single) 9. Check list for household interview(upland farmer, female, single) 10. Photos 11. Maps 1. Introduction Under the Regional Environmental Technical Assistance (RETA) Programme, funded by Asian Development Bank, the first phase of Poverty Reduction and Environmental Management in Remote Greater Mekong Sub- region(GMS) Watershed Project is launched to carry out a feasibility study for the development of the watershed areas. The preliminary studies are made in all the countries of the GMS, covering such subjects as Natural Resources Policy, Wood Trade, GIS and Land use, Protected Areas Management, Community forestry, Upland agriculture, Rural Infrastructure, Human Resources and Rural Development. Myanmar's involvement in the GMS amounts only to 2% of the total regional area. Six sub-watersheds are identified in this area of which the following three are shortlisted for final selection as project area for the coming phase II. They are: a. Nan Loi b. Nan Mae Ilkok and Page 3 of 15 c. Nan Mae Khan In the mid-term review meeting held at Vientiane in February 1999, Nan Mae Hkok was tentatively selected as potential second phase project intervention area as the river passes through Myanmar and Thailand, and thus giving the possibility of regional cooperation between the two countries. Although time available for the study precludes field visits, it is considered that whatever information available of the common topics concerning environment, land use and community development would be of some value to the phase I study. The phase 1 project duration is from June 1998 to June 1999. 2. Mekong Watershed Situation in Myanmar Most of Eastern Shan State falls in the Mekong Watershed area. The following table summarises the area of Mekong Sub-watershed falling in various townships. Sr. Area of Sub-watershed Sq. Miles No. Township Mekong Nam Mac Nam Mac Nam Lin Nam Loi Nam Total Drainage Hkok Hok Yawng 1 Kengtung 45.79 - 260.04 1404.89 - 1710.72 2 Mong Hpyak 89.03 49.66 479.79 27.51 59.29 705.28 3 Mong Yowmg 597.31 - - - 732.35 508.80 1838.46 4 Mong Hsat - 1170.66 269.75 - - - 1440.41 5 Mong Hkok - - - 590.43 590.43 6 Mong Yung - - - - 838.46 - 838.46 7 Tachi lake 329.91 7.13 617.63 273.35 - 65.19 1293.21 Total 927.22 1312.61 937.04 1013.18 3593.64 633.28 8416.97 3. Proposed Watershed Area for Myanmar The phase II project cannot cope with all Sub-watersheds of Mekong falling in all participating countries. The mid-term review meeting held in Vientiane in February 1999 has tentatively selected Nam Mae Hkok sub- watershed as future intervention area for the phase II project. This sub - watershed covers part of Myanmar and Thailand, thus facilitating regional cooperation between Myanmar and Thailand. Nam Mae Hkok river originates in Kentung District, flows southwards though Mong-hsat District, crosses Myanmar-Thailand border and thence through Chiang Rai District and Joins the Mekong river. 4. RRA Tool The guidelines for this Rapid Rural Appraisal(RRA.) was formulated by Science, Technology and Environment Organization (STENO) of Vientiane, Lao PDR and sent to Myanmar by fax in February 1999. The actual work can only be started after the visit of the team leader to Myanmar on 20th march 1999. After some lengthy enquiries to the local Forest Department staff at Mong-hsat, the actual field work was carried out in April 1999. 5. General Overview of the Nam Mae Hkok watershed Area 5.1 Biophysical information Page 4 of 15 5.1.1 Land use Land use system of Nam Mae Hkok watershed area can be summarized as follows. Sr. No. Land use class Area Acres 1 Lowland rice cultivation 6421 2 Terrace Farming 474 3 Upland rice 4155 4 Home Gardens, Orchards 882 5 Shifting Cultivation 7320 6 Deciduous forest 2278 7 Evergreen forest 645497 8 Scrub land 173230 Total 840077 Acres 5.1.2 Climate Since there was no meteorological station on Mong Hsat District, no recorded data for the past years were available. The nearest estimate made from available data from Kengtung and Mong Phyat Districts indicates an annual precipitation of about 63 inches and temperatures ranging from 12' C to 35' C. 5.1.3 Geology and Soil Mainly limestone, latterite and in some places metamorphic rocks occur over the District. Majority of soils found are mountain red brown soils, Brown Forest soils on hilly areas and yellow alluvial soils on flat plains. 5.1.4 Water Resources Nam Moe Hkok is a perennial river although some of its tributaries are seasonal. Small river craft are used to travel to villages along the Nam Moe Hkok river throughout the whole year. 5.1.5 Forest Resources Although forest cover is quite good with evergreen and deciduous forests, the economic value of the forest is quite low due to the effect of shifting cultivation and occurrence of lesser used timber species in small sizes. Bamboos are quite abundant. Occurrence of tree species are limited to Dipterocarpus Spp, Anogeissus acuminata, Salmalia malabarica, Homalium tomentosum, Dalbergia Spp. etc. An area of 118 sq.miles (75528 Acres) is proposed as Nam Hkok Reserved forest at the head waters of the river. Another 10.755sq. miles of forest is set aside to form a protected unclassed forest to preserve forest around Mae Pan Hydro Power Station. 5.1.6 Wild life Except for Sambhur, large game are quite scarce. Wild boar, barking deer, bear, wild dogs and monkeys can still be found in many areas. Quite a number of wild fowl, parrots, doves, partridge, quail etc. are found in the area. 5.1.7 Infrastructure An all weather road connects Monghsat with Taunggyi through Mong Ton & Loilem. There are also fair weather roads from Monghsat to Tachilek and also Mong Hsat to Keng Tung through Mong Pyin. Myanmar Airways operates twice a week flights to Monghsat. Page 5 of 15 As for communications, postal service, telegraph and Radio-telephone services are available. 5.2 Socio Economic Information 5.2.1 Population Structure Actual population of Nam Moe Hkok watershed cannot be obtained due to shortage of time. The closest representation can be that of Monghsat Township profile which is attached as appendix (1). Since the Nam Moe Hkok watershed area is about 75% of the total township area including the Urban areas, population is estimated as follows: (a) Population 56777 Urban (all) 14858 Rural (0.75%) 41919 male : female ratio 91:100 labour availability 15-49 yr. group (0.75%) 21300 (b) Population Density 14.30/ Sq - Km (c) Population growth rate 0.43% (d) Maternal Mortality rate 1.53/ 1000 live births. (e) Leading cause of death Malaria 5.2.2 Livelihoods Agriculture is the main occupation of the rural population. Available statistics indicates over 11000 acres of permanent agriculture in the watershed area. Land use information from 1989-90 landsat TM imagerry is given in (5.1.1). It was revealed that over 700 sq. miles of closed and degraded forests were affected by shifting cultivation. The availability of swidden land is determined by the traditional rights of the residing ethnic groups, which are mainly Shan, Wa, Ahkhar and Larhu tribes. 5.2.3 Per Capita Available Land Resource For Nan Mae Hkok watershed, per capita available land resources is estimated as follows: Forest land Closed & Forest affected by shifting other land degraded cultivation 6.78 acres 7.85 Acres 0.16 Acres 5.2.4 Labour and Gender Estimated strength of available labour (people of working age 14-49 years) in the watershed area is about 21300 of which male to female ratio stands at 91.100.