Dr Kim Geheb, CPWF Mekong Basin Leader

CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food

The CPWF Objective

To increase the productivity of water for food and livelihoods, in a manner that is environmentally sustainable, socially acceptable,

and alleviates poverty for disadvantaged groups.

The CPWF VisionTo help develop more

prosperous and resilient agricultural societies by

improving access to water, and the ways in which it is managed

and used.

o Basin focus.

Key characteristicso A CGIAR program.o Research-for-development

program.o Partnerships and networks.o Integrated research.

The CGIAR

• 15 international agricultural research centres.• Consortium Office in Montpellier, France.• Includes centres such as IRRI, IWMI, WorldFish

CPWF Research for Development

End usersThose whose

behavior needs to change

Next usersThose who will deliver the change

Research products

The tools we need to effect

the change

The problemThe thing we

need to change

The researchThe research we need to develop the

tools

Partnerships and networks

Partnerships and networks are the only way to get research results into practice

quickly.

Integrated research

Complex problems require integrated research to yield integrated solutions

Where we work

Benefits of being part of CPWF

• International platform.• Science support.• R4D.• Integrated science.• Communications.• Community of practice.

What?CPWF Mekong

In the Mekong, the CPWF looks ways to optimise the management, use and operation of

dams and their reservoirs.

Why?

Between them, the GMS countries have a hydropower potential of 1,090,000 GWh.

As of 1999, just 20,500 GWh had been developed.

The aggregate demand for electricity in GMS is projected to

rise from 108,850 GWh in 1995 to 600,000 GWh in 2020.

Virtually every study of the impact of the dams on the Mekong System predicts substantial

environmental and social costs as a consequence of their development.

The single biggest change to water use and its management in the Mekong today and into the

future is hydropower development.

But these developments also open up opportunities - agricultural, economic, environmental and social.

How?

The the development of a series of research-for-development projects.

1. Optimizing reservoir management for livelihoods.

2. Water valuation.3. Optimising the management of cascades or

systems of reservoirs at catchment level.4. Hydropower governance at the basin scale.5. Coordination and change.6. Governance and the development of

partnerships and knowledge-sharing.7. M-POWER – CPWF Fellowships Program.8. Hydropower decision-making on the Mekong.

We’re looking for new partners, new ideas and new initiatives to help us achieve our vision

Where?

Our projects are scaled – they work at the dam, catchment and basin levels.

We have chosen to work on one

completed dam (Yalli); one partially

constructed dam (Nam Theun Hinboun

Expansion); and one planned dam (Lower

Sesan 2).

The bulk of our field work is in Cambodia, Vietnam and Lao PDR, Project 4 focuses on the basin scale. Future growth into Thailand and China projects.

Thank you for your attention!!

www.mekong.waterandfood.org