Assessing the level of participation of small stakeholders in international water management projects for food security in Lower Mekong Basin: the case of rice production in the Khong-Loei-Chi-Mun project

Abstract

The Khong-Chi-Mun was a partially realized irrigation project in Northeast Thailand under the “Greening Isaan” plan of development. Afterward, the Thai government revived it in 2012 under the new name “Khong-Loei-Chi-Mun” (KLCM) This new mega-project aimed to improve water access to the region to increase agricultural rice production and answer to a rising worldwide food demand. However, the suitability of such a plan for the region was criticized for the lack of integration of local context and knowledge, a situation that could be avoided with the participation of local representation in the decision-making process. This study aimed to assess if the KLCM is fit to answer to food production and security in the region, and if local participation was promoted in the management plan. The data collection methodology was separated into two steps, first with a literature review of reports on the project development and second, interviews with key informants. Based on the results, it was observed that the increase of rice yields by using irrigation and second crop systems could not guarantee a sustainable development of the region and farmers, due to the cost-benefit and the strain on water resources it led to. Food security was also limited due to the low value of the crops and the large scale of the project that only benefits a small portion of the producing actors in the region. Participation was promoted in the KLCM, but only under the form of ‘communication’, the lowest level of participation, no power was allocated to local groups and actors. The recognition of local knowledge would be an element that could increase the possibility of small-stakeholders and farmers' participation. However, the local knowledge lacks recognition in front of academic ones. Furthermore, it is still difficult to determine which is the most relevant, and who should handle it. This study is set into a wider range of understanding local communities and alternative forms of production to answer Food Security and Sustainable Development.