From research outputs to development outcomes—selected stories - Water Scarcity, Livelihoods and Food Security - page 186

social, institutional and political analysis. On a more practical level, in An
Giang Province in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, the People's Committee
encouraged residents to explore and adapt to flood conditions. This led to
several successful livelihood projects and brought “living with floods” policies
closer to reality. These experiences were presented to the central government
and used to revise the National Strategy on Disaster Prevention, Control and
Mitigation in Vietnam to the year 2020.
Hydropower development
The M-POWER initiative contributed to national hydro-planning processes
becoming more accessible to the public, both in terms of improved partici-
patory processes, and in terms of improved accountability. The work addresses
some of the shortcomings in the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment
Protocol. The Second Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy in Hanoi
in November 2012 showcased a number of M-POWER studies. The Forum
was attended by senior government officials and private sector dam developers.
The Third Forum in 2013 tabled new issues that emerged from this dialogue.
The issues included managing the cumulative impact of dam cascades,
sediment flows, increasing the role of private sector financing and corporate
social responsibility. Gathering such a diverse group in one forum to address
topics previously discussed behind closed doors was a milestone in the
Mekong.
Heading in the right direction
How problems and solutions are framed has an important influence on which
policies and projects are pursued. It is apparent that pathways to influence are
diverse and do not depend solely on expert advice or a rational comparison of
policy options. Although water bureaucracies use the language of participation
and integration, they are not much used in practice.
A key strength of M-POWER was its rapid response capacity. As oppor-
tunities arose to influence policy, members of the network quickly let each
other know and organized coordinated responses. The mixture and coverage
of the network allowed for a flexible mix of individuals and actions.
M-POWER research was compiled and published in three volumes, which
were widely distributed. In Phase 2, several on-going multi-partner projects
were secured and many partners committed to continue working together,
which is encouraging.
Citations relevant to this story are: Molle et al., 2009; Dore et al., 2010;
Lebel et al., 2010; Dore et al., 2012; Pukinskis and Geheb, 2012; Sajor, 2012.