Joint Community Research on Livelihood Adaptation in Thailand’s communities

Climate change and rapid economic development are imposing immense stress on the socioeconomic fabric of the Mekong Region, disproportionately affecting the region’s poorest and most vulnerable communities (LMC Water Center & MRC, 2023). These marginalized groups live on the front lines  facing  increasingly frequent and intense extreme events like floods and droughts that disrupt food and water security. The extensive hydropower development along the Mekong and its tributaries, altering natural flow patterns and degrading ecosystems, are resulting in compounding the climate challenges. The interconnected nature of these environmental, social, and economic pressures highlights the urgent need for community-centered approaches and address a crucial gap in adaptation research. Engaging communities in co-creating sustainable adaptation strategies is essential for addressing the unique and complex vulnerabilities of the Mekong Region from the grassroots.

The research project will strengthen the partnership of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)-Mekong River Commission (MRC)-Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) community through collaborative knowledge production, capacity building, and sectoral integration. By tackling complex challenges arising from development impacts and climate change—particularly floods and droughts—this research will identify and assess livelihood impacts, community vulnerabilities, and adaptive strategies, including gender considerations in climate adaptation in selected Thai (Mekong) communities as a case study. 

The project will adopt a participatory approach using methods including photovoice and transect walks that encourages local communities’ knowledge exchange while gathering evidence through literature and policy review and in-depth interviews that can inform equitable decision-making in resource management through gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI) lens.

The project will examine these dynamics using a case study approach in Bung Khla subdistrict of Beung Kan province in northeastern Thailand, focusing on adaptive solutions along the Mekong River’s riparian wetland ecosystems for livelihood and food security co-benefits. This subdistrict was identified as an area of interest during the Thailand National Pilot Study under the Triangular Cooperation Project of the Water-Food-Energy nexus (2021-2025) led by MRC and its partners.

Building on these existing efforts, this project will further enhance multistakeholder collaboration aimed at bringing actionable solutions for the local communities and the environment. The project will also assess the potential of different agricultural technologies and crop varieties that can enhance community livelihoods in the contexts of resource management and climate challenges, providing actionable recommendations for agricultural cooperatives and policy actors.