Announcements
Announcements
The Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET), an initiative for research and policy engagement, focuses on water insecurity in the Mekong Region through scientifically robust, policy-relevant research, and diverse and innovative means of outreach.
The Mekong Region continues its drive towards regional economic integration and a gradual shift towards more open political systems and a market economy. Sustainable development is a major challenge as environmental degradation takes a toll on both ecosystems and livelihoods, and competition over limited natural resources becomes increasingly common, often cutting across national boundaries. Poverty and social inequality – including gender inequality – remain significant concerns in the region.
The policy choices made today are thus crucial to ensuring socially inclusive, equitable and sustainable development in this region.
The Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET), an initiative for research and policy engagement bringing together 70 research and policy partners, aims to support the sustainable development of the Mekong Region through scientifically robust, policy-relevant research and outreach.
In Phase 4 of its programme (2019-2028), titled SUMERNET 4 All, the network will focus on water insecurity throughout the Mekong Region by linking evidence-based research on regionally relevant water issues and engaging with policy, local community and vulnerable groups across the region.
Photo: Rajesh Daniel, SEI Asia.
Photo: Rajesh Daniel, SEI Asia
Photo: Rajesh Daniel, SEI Asia.
SUMERNET was launched in 2005, supported by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). Membership has grown from the initial 14 to 70 organizations comprising academics, government line agencies, independent research institutions and international organizations.
SUMERNET supports policy-relevant research and outreach activities to inform and engage decision-makers, planners and stakeholders bringing together research partners engaged in sustainable development in the six countries of the Mekong Region: Cambodia, China (specifically Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region), Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Within this context, it pursues an evolving agenda in response to questions and policy issues that arise in the region.
In this present 4th phase called SUMERNET 4 All, the network will focus on reducing water insecurities for all, in particular, the poor, marginalized and socially vulnerable groups of women and men in the Mekong Region.
This new phase of SUMERNET 4 All will continue working towards sustainable development of the Mekong Region by putting knowledge-based policy engagement at the heart of its activities.
SUMERNET 4 All has the mission “to improve the policies and practices in reducing water insecurity by conducting collaborative research, engaging in the policy process, and promoting scientifically sound research and innovation while considering gender and social equality, human rights, conflict sensitivity, environmental integrity and poverty reduction in the Mekong Region.”
Our overarching mission is to improve policies and practices in the Mekong Region that reduce water insecurities in ways that are gender- and socially-responsive by: conducting collaborative research; engaging in the policy process; promoting scientifically sound research and innovation.
Water insecurity is defined as “not having the rights or access to sufficient water of adequate quality or being made increasingly vulnerable to unacceptable levels of water-related risks.” Water insecurity has important implications for health and wellbeing, gender equality, as well as livelihoods, income generation and productivity. Water insecurity is multi-scale: spatially, it may be applied to individuals, households, communities, nations and region; temporally, it may refer to just a particular time of year or season with high risks, or it may apply to entire years or decades, in particular under impacts of climate change which are highly uncertain.
In response to changing demands and policy debates in the Mekong Region, SUMERNET 4 All will focus on three research themes:
Photo: SUMERNET.
This section provides highlights from the website of the SUMERNET programme. The website is the platform used to reach out to the network partners from the Mekong to highlight work on sustainable development, poverty alleviation, gender and social equality and the incorporation of a rights-based approach in natural resource management.
The website also supports the dissemination of SUMERNET work with other Southeast Asian countries beyond the Mekong Region to promote greater regional collaboration and knowledge exchange.
During this current phase called SUMERNET 4 All, the website will feature stories and multimedia network on the overall theme of “water insecurity”.
Below is a selected list of recent highlights from the SUMERNET website:
The power of multimedia in communicating environmental issues is well known for its ability to sway public opinion and influence policy on critical issues like climate change.
At a recent regional workshop in the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation project, SUMERNET Young Professionals (SYP) interacted with several young water governance professionals and researchers in the Mekong Region.
Niwat Roykeaw, also known as Khru Tee is the Director of The Mekong School: Institute of Local Knowledge. Founded in 2015, the school aims to preserve local knowledge about the Mekong and empower local communities in their struggles to preserve their local farming livelihoods.
As part of our work on transboundary cooperation in the Mekong Basin, we visited the “Mekong School” which promotes and conserves local knowledge and helps in co-creating knowledge together with local communities who live along the Mekong River.
Researchers work to produce scientific findings on complex environmental topics. Often, they need the media to disseminate their findings to the policymakers and the public. How can researchers work together with the media?
This podcast explores how flood risks can be managed better if local communities are involved in the planning and design of flood protection and management measures especially for early warning systems.
In the dry and arid central region of Myanmar, water for drinking and farming is scarce. Climate risks are worsening the situation as dry seasons get longer and more intense; most young people are migrating to the cities.
This is part of the SUMERNET documentary film series on “Climate Risks and Water Insecurity in the Mekong Region” produced by SUMERNET. Watch the seven short films here.
Feature / In the dry and arid central region of Myanmar, climate risks mean more intense and longer dry spells and frequent droughts.
Design and development by Soapbox.
