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This report synthesizes 30 research projects from the SUMERNET 4 All program (2018–2024) to address water insecurities in the Mekong region. It finds that water insecurity is driven by a combination of climate change, unsustainable development, and governance failures that marginalize women, ethnic minorities, and rural populations. Key interventions identified include people-centred infrastructure (e.g., rainwater harvesting, solar pumping), adaptive agricultural practices, and the co-production of knowledge through multistakeholder engagement. The report highlights critical gaps in transboundary groundwater governance and the need for more inclusive, decentralized water management models.

This policy brief evaluates the first phase (2009–2012) of the Regional Climate Change Adaptation Knowledge Platform for Asia (AKP), a collaborative initiative designed to build adaptation knowledge and capacity across Asia. The program utilized a three-tiered approach—sharing, generating, and applying knowledge—to mainstream climate adaptation into development planning. While the AKP successfully established a diverse network of local experts and produced over 50 knowledge products, it faced significant challenges regarding leadership consistency, language barriers in dissemination, and the limitations of linear project planning frameworks in measuring long-term social learning.

This report analyzes foreign direct investment (FDI) in the agriculture sector of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos), examining the business models used by investors and their impact on economic development. It identifies a tension between macroeconomic growth and local economic development, noting that while FDI has increased agricultural output, it often fails to align with broader development goals and can negatively impact food security and local livelihoods.

This research paper examines the environmental impacts of trade liberalization within the medicinal plants and spices sector of Lao PDR. It analyzes the tension between the economic goals of poverty reduction and export growth and the resulting pressures on biodiversity, specifically highlighting the risks of unsustainable wild harvesting versus the potential of cultivation and certification.

This research paper examines the environmental impacts of trade liberalization on the wood and wood products sector in the Lao PDR. It analyzes how regional demand, particularly from China, and integration into trade agreements like ASEAN and AFTA influence forest decline, biodiversity loss, and the transition from low-value raw log exports to high-value processed wood products.