Implementing Integrated River Basin Management: Lessons from the Red River Basin, Vietnam

Abstract

This paper presents findings from project number 50 titled “Multi-scale Mekong Water Governance: Inter-disciplinary Research to Enhance Participatory Water Governance from Local Watershed to Regional Scales” of the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) which is implemented under the M-Power network.

The report focuses on the establishment of the Red River Basin Organization (RRBO), but expands its analysis to the wider transformations of the water sector that impinge on the formation and effectiveness of this organization. The report shows that the promotion of IWRM icons such as RBOs by donors has been quite disconnected from the existing institutional framework. In contradiction with IWRM principles, RBOs were established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), with little means and power, while the ONWRC remained dormant. The RRBO was set up on the premise that a RBO was needed, but it was soon found that basin-wide participation was both difficult and unnecessary, with the focus being shifted to lower sub-basin levels.

Citation

Molle, F.; Chu Thai Hoanh. Implementing Integrated River Basin Management: Lessons from the Red RiverBasin, Vietnam. International Water Management Institute, Colombo, Sri Lanka (2009) 35 pp. ISBN 978-92-9090-708-4 (IWMI Research Report 131)

Implementing Integrated River Basin Management: Lessons from the Red River Basin, Vietnam

Updates to this page

Published 1 January 2009