State of Knowledge Report On Climate-smart Water Technologies in the Mekong Region

The report identifies several climate-smart water technologies for rice cultivation in the Mekong Region, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Modern Irrigation Systems (MIS), which can significantly reduce water consumption. It analyzes the policy landscapes of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, noting that while national strategies exist, adoption is hindered by financial barriers, technical gaps, and insecure land tenure. The document recommends strengthening policy frameworks, increasing access to credit, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance agricultural resilience and food security.

• Several climate-smart water technologies can significantly reduce water use in rice cultivation: Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) reduces consumption by 15-30%, and Modern Irrigation Systems (MIS) can reduce water usage by 40%.
• The Mekong Region is highly vulnerable to climate change, having recently experienced one of its worst droughts in over sixty years during 2019-2020, which caused US $320 million in economic losses in Thailand alone.
• Rice cultivation is the primary driver of water consumption in the Lancang-Mekong basin, accounting for more than 70% of all water withdrawals from an area of over 10 million hectares.
• National policies across the region vary: Thailand utilizes a 20-year National Water Resources Management Master Plan (2018-2037), China invests in water-saving irrigation that has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 37%, and Vietnam is implementing a project for 1 million hectares of high-quality, low-carbon rice in the Mekong Delta.
• Widespread adoption of climate-smart technologies is obstructed by common barriers, including high initial investment costs, limited access to credit, technical capacity gaps, and insecure land tenure.
• The report recommends a strategic roadmap for stakeholders that includes developing tailored microfinancing for small-scale farmers, establishing regional knowledge-sharing platforms, and promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure and technology transfer.

APA

Prasad, S., & Melati, K. (2024). State of Knowledge Report On Climate-smart Water Technologies in the Mekong Region. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/state-of-knowledge-report-lmc-11-nov-2024-sp-final-version.pdf

Chicago

Prasad, Satish, and Kuntum Melati. State of Knowledge Report On Climate-smart Water Technologies in the Mekong Region. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2024. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/state-of-knowledge-report-lmc-11-nov-2024-sp-final-version.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Prasad |first1=Satish |last2=Melati |first2=Kuntum |title=State of Knowledge Report On Climate-smart Water Technologies in the Mekong Region |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2024 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/state-of-knowledge-report-lmc-11-nov-2024-sp-final-version.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{prasad2024state, author = {Prasad, Satish and Melati, Kuntum}, title = {{State of Knowledge Report On Climate-smart Water Technologies in the Mekong Region}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/state-of-knowledge-report-lmc-11-nov-2024-sp-final-version.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }