The Mekong region's watersheds have experienced significant degradation due to factors such as war, logging, mining, population growth, hydropower and irrigation development, and deforestation for agriculture. In some areas, more than half of the original forest cover has been lost, resulting in increased soil erosion, flash floods, and a decline in ecological goods and services. To mitigate disaster risks, effective flood management and soil conservation are essential for reducing community vulnerability. From an economic perspective, enhancing forest productivity and minimizing associated losses will support socio-economic development. Environmentally, protecting ecosystems is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of both communities and the river basin.
To improve flood resilience and reduce damage and losses, thereby fostering social and economic development within the river basin.
To strengthen watershed management in the context of climate and land-use changes by integrating nature-based solutions (NBS).
To enhance policy direction for sustainable watershed management from the national to the sub-national level.
To identify flood hazards using field-based and modeling approaches, incorporating updated datasets and strengthening community resilience.
To assess soil erosion and water quality in order to determine sustainable river basin management measures.
To integrate nature-based solutions (NBS) into watershed management to improve flood risk mitigation, reduce soil loss, and enhance biodiversity within the river basin.
To build capacity for integrated river basin management at both national and sub-national levels.
To develop and mainstream a policy brief for multi-stakeholder engagement from the sub-national to the national level.
Quantify the need for enhanced flood resilience at the community level through pilot projects.
Conduct comprehensive management from field to basin scales to monitor soil erosion and water quality.
Implement nature-based solutions (NBS) technologies to demonstrate their effectiveness within the basin.
Strengthen stakeholder capacity and promote policy impact through training sessions, seminars, and other engagement activities to support policy formulation and implementation.
