Livelihoods in the changing Tonle Sap : past, present and future Ratha Seng To cite this version: Ratha Seng. Livelihoods in the changing Tonle Sap : past, present and future. Biodiversity and Ecology. Université Paul Sabatier - Toulouse III, 2017. English. NNT : 2017TOU30365. tel- 02275089 HAL Id: tel-02275089 https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-02275089 Submitted on 30 Aug 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. 5)µ4& &OWVFEFMPCUFOUJPOEV %0$503"5%&-6/*7&34*5²%&506-064& %ÏMJWSÏQBS Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier (UT3 Paul Sabatier) $PUVUFMMFJOUFSOBUJPOBMFBWFD 1SÏTFOUÏFFUTPVUFOVFQBS Ratha SENG -F mardi 11 juillet 2017 5Jtre : Livelihoods in the changing Tonle Sap: past, present and future École doctorale et discipline ou spécialité : ED SEVAB : Écologie, biodiversité et évolution 6OJUÏEFSFDIFSDIF Évolution et Diversité Biologique %JSFDUFVS T EFʾÒTF Sovan LEK (Professor, Unversité Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France) Robert POMEROY (Professor, University of Connecticut, Avery Point, USA) 3BQQPSUFVST Thomas VALLEE (Professor, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France) Phillippe MERAL (Director of Research, Université Paul-Valery, Montpellier, France) "VUSF T NFNCSF T EVKVSZ Sovan LEK (Professor, Unversité Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France) Young-Seuk PARK (Professor, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea) Jean Michel CAPUIS (Associate Professor, Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne, Paris, France) Jocelyne NAPOLI (Associate Professor, Unversité Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France) Saveng ITH (Researcher, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia) LIVELIHOODS IN THE CHANGING TONLE SAP: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE RATHA SENG Director: Prof. Sovan LEK Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique, UMR 5174, Uni- versité Paul Sabatier – Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, cédex 4-France Co-director: Prof. Robert POMEROY Connecticut Sea Grant/Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Connecticut-Avery Point, 06340-6048 Groton, CT USA. Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Université Paul Sa- batier- Toulouse III RESUME L'objectif général de ce travail était d'évaluer les stratégies des moyens de subsistance dans le lac Tonle Sap en rapport avec divers facteurs de changement. Plus précisément, l'étude visait à étudier les variations et les déterminants des moyens de subsistance (spatial et temporal), ainsi que les impacts des futurs changements et des communautés de pêcherie (CFis) dans les plaines inondables de Tonle Sap. En utilisant les approches multivariées, j’ai pu mettre en évidence les résultats suivants : Les différentes caractéristiques écologiques déterminent les différentes stratégies des moyens de subsistance et les ressources environnementales sont indispensables pour la période post-conflit des pays comme le Cambodge ; Les divers facteurs humains, naturels et économiques, sociaux et physiques ont influencé le choix et le revenu des ménages ; parmi lesquels, la possession de terrain était le plus important; La perte de net revenu est attendue dans tous les futurs scenarios de changement, particu- lièrement avec ceux qui dépendent uniquement un moyen de subsistance, subi une perte en moyenne de 18% dans tous les scénarios, comparativement à 9% pour le groupe des multi-moyens de subsistance ; La taille idéale de la zone communautaire est de 2 310 hectares et l'impact positif des CFis peut être réalisé en améliorant la planification, le processus opérationnel et le mécanisme de résolution des conflits, également qu’en développant et renforçant des réseaux et la conformité des règles. Les résultats suggèrent que les moyens de subsistance sont spécifiques au contexte et le choix des stratégies des ménages est associé à une gamme de facteurs socio-écologiques. Nous devons éviter une prescription unique pour aborder les problèmes des moyens de subsistance dans le Tonle Sap. Effectivement, les implications politiques pour améliorer la participation aux moyens de subsistance ainsi que pour maximiser les avantages économiques et sociaux à long terme pour les ménages devraient accorder une attention particulière aux ménages pauvres en ressources. Par conséquent, l’augmentation de la richesse et des biens du ménage, ainsi que l’établissement des programmes efficaces de conservation des ressources améliorent effective- ment la capacité d'adaptation des ménages en réponse aux changements inattendus et également contribuent à renforcer et soutenir les organisations des CFis. MOTS CLÉS : Moyens de subsistance, déterminants, impact, communauté de pêcherie, Tonlé Sap i ABSTRACT The overall goal of this research was to assess the livelihood strategies in the Tonle Sap in the face of various drivers of change around the lake. Specifically, the study intended to investigate livelihood variations and determinants (both spatial and temporal), and the impact of future scenario changes and of the Community Fisheries (CFis) in the Tonle Sap’s floodplain. By using multivariate approach, I am able to highlight the fol- lowing findings: - different ecological characteristics influencing livelihood strategies and the environmental resources are imperative in post-conflict Cambodia; - various human, natural and economic, social, and physical capitals have influenced household’s choice and income. Land was the most significant; - net income loss is expected for under all future scenarios, with those engaged in single livelihoods experiencing an average loss of 18% across all scenarios compared to 9% for the multi-livelihood group; - an ideal size of community area is 2,310 hectares and the positive impact of CFis can be achieved by improving planning, operational process and conflict resolution mechanism, developing networks and reinforcing rule compliance. The findings suggest that livelihood is context specific and the choice of household’s strategies is associated with a range of socio and ecological factors and we should avoid a one-size-fit prescription to tackle livelihood problems in the Tonle Sap. Policy impli- cations to improve livelihood participation and maximize the long-term economic and social benefits for household should consider special attention to resource poor house- holds, increase household’s wealth and assets, design and implement effective resource conservation programs, improve households’ adaptive capacity in response to unex- pected changes and continue strengthening and supporting the CFi organizations. KEY WORDS: Livelihoods, determinants, impact, community fisheries, Tonle Sap ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT First and foremost, I would like to thank my thesis directors: Prof. Sovan LEK, Université Paul Sabatier – Toulouse III, France, and Prof. Robert POMEROY, University of Connecticut. USA, for their guidance, support, patience during the period of my PhD. Prof. LEK and Prof. POME- ROY have provided me exceptional scientific supports from the very beginning till the end of my PhD journey and are always ready to assist in whatever academic problems I am facing. Also, I have a great privilege to be recruited to involve in the Belmont Forum-funded Tonle Sap Climate Change Project by Prof. Sovan LEK, where I have opportunity to meet all amazing researchers, scientists and professors from the three continents (Asia, Europe and America), including my co- director Prof. Robert POMEROY. Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank H.E Dr. TOUCH Visalsok, Under Secretary of State, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, and former University of Battambang Rector, for introducing me to the Belmont Project team. My scientific support thank is extended to Prof. Evan FRASER and Dr. Krishna KC from Depart- ment of Geography, University of Guelph, Canada for hosting my mobility in Guelph and who are instrumental in my socioeconomic survey design and data collection as well as the livelihood analysis. I am also grateful for my referees and jury members (Prof. Thomas VALLEE, Dr. Phillippe ME- RAL, Prof. Young-Seuk PARK, Assoc. Prof. Jean Michel CAPUIS, Assoc. Prof. Jocelyne NA- POLI and Dr. ITH Saveng) for accepting to review, evaluate and read my thesis as well as provid- ing useful comments on my work and for continuing to inspire me to go on with the research career path. This research would not have been possible without all the amazing team at the University of Battambang. Firstly, I am grateful for H.E Mdm. SIENG Em Totim, Rector, for her continued support on the research activities and make every means possible to ensure the research work a success. Special thanks also go to our colleagues, Dr. CHEA Ratha, Dr. SREAN Pao and our most helpful project administrator, Mr. CHREA Socheat for all kinds of support for my research work and PhD. I am forever grateful for my data collection team led by Mr. IV Channara and inspiring and dedicated students at the Faculty of Sociology and Community Development, in- cluding Mr. TEP Langdy, Ms. MOM Lita, Ms. MAO Sotheavy, Mr. REAN Sothea, Mr. SUN Kimseng, Ms. CHHON Sanda, Ms. SOEUM Sreynin and