3rd Mekong Forum on Water, Food & Energy 2013. Presentation from Session 7: Restoring livelihoods: opportunities for sharing the benefits of water for resettled communities.

1. Retention of Swidden and NTFP in
Relocated Villages in Attapeu
MK10 Attapeu project research showed retention of
swidden and NFTP as principal sources of income, food
production and sources, and rice deficiencies in
villages impacted by hydropower systems in Attapeu
Province

2. Swidden and NTFP in Traditional
Relocation
• Traditional relocation was done to maintain
access to new or regenerated forest for swidden
farming and forest products
• The MK10 and other research has shown the
integration of ethnic minority group social
organisation and culture with swidden
production systems
• Retaining swidden as the main user of labour,
source of food also maintains the cultural basis of
household and community organisation and
authority

3. •
Three sources were found to be predominant among the still mainly upland ethnic communities
studied:
- swidden farming;
- NTFP and
- Fishing.
•
Rice supply both before and after the impact of forest and land losses is predominantly from
swidden
•
Rice deficits in all households are from 3 to 6 months of the year.
•
Food supply to feed children was inadequate in approximately 80% of households
•
Bamboo shoots and green vegetables, mushrooms and wild fruits are the main food during the
rainy season, and may be sold at market.
•
Rice may be purchased from earnings from logging, NTFP, gold panning and hunting or, more
rarely, from wage labour.
.

4. Rice production from swidden farming is from
less than 200 kg up to 3,000 kg, depending on
the household labour force with an average of
about 500 kg for a family of 5 with 2 adult
workers.

5. Most Labour Use in NRM by Household
Family Unit
Villages
No Paddy Swidden tree
hh.
Hardxanh 292 310
Garden NTFP Fishing Hunting Live
stock
161
47
39
163
36
7
10
4
0
37
0
8
0
Namxuan
57
0
79
Phouyang
28
0
4
22
20
21
2
7
6
Phoukeua
49
2
50
6
11
29
11
16
0
Somboun
219 39
264
23
3
156
16
23
19