Research projects 4

The ‘Exploring Tonle Sap Futures’ project (2010-13) was one of the five localised case studies of the ‘Exploring Mekong Region Futures‘ project, led by The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and funded by AusAID. The Tonle Sap study looked -similarly to the entire regional project- the nexus between water, energy, food and climate change.

Team

Marko Keskinen, Matti Kummu, Aura Salmivaara, Paradis Someth, Hannu Lauri, Hans de Moel, Philip Ward, Sokhem Pech

  • Head of research Professor Olli Varis
  • Language n/a

NexusAsia is a 2-year research project funded by the Academy of Finland. The full name of the project is ‘Water-energy-food nexus: a cross-sectoral analysis of large Asian river basins’. The research thus looks at in analytical and cross-sectoral manner the management of water and related natural resources in large Asian river basins, with a focus on transboundary settings shared by several countries.

Team

Marko Keskinen, Olli Varis, Shokhrukh Jalilov

  • Head of research Jari Kaivo-Oja
  • Language n/a

In terms of social wellbeing and economic activity, Lao PDR is one of the poorest countries in Southeast Asia. Yet it is rich in terms of natural resources and holds a huge potential in renewable energy sector. FREPLA project incorporates resource development view point into a single research and development (R&D) set-up. The project aimed at identifying interlinkages, barriers, trade-offs and synergies in using the full potential of rural energy resources and applying holistic water management in national strategic planning. The key message of the project was that it is necessary to assure that the Mekong and its ecosystem services (including national and regional agri- and aquaculture) are not excessively distrubed by hydropower or any other natural resource projects, such as mining.

Team

Jari Kaivo-Oja (FFRC), Sari Jusi (FFRC), Jyrki Luukkanen (FFRC), Khamso Kouphokham (MEM)

  • Head of research Vary
  • Language n/a

General Objective: Promote ecosystems conservation through watershed management to improve human well-being and conserve high biodiversity Amazonian areas of Peru and Colombia. Geographic location: The project will focus on five basins, the Alto Mayo River Basin in Peru, which includes the development of payment-for-water ecosystem services (PES) schemes in the Moyabamba, Rioja, and Yuracyacu subwatersheds, and the Orito, Mocoa, Guineo and Orteguáza River Basins in the Amazonian Piedmont in Colombia. Project Area: The total area the project will cover in both countries is 1,408,317 has; The Orito, Mocoa, Guineo and Orteguáza River basins, cover 93,448 ha, 68,851 ha, 36,532 ha and 428,768 respectively, for a total area of 627,599 ha. The Alto Mayo River Basin covers approximately 780,718 hectares. Beneficiaries: The project will benefit a total of approximately 460,000 people; 238,000 people in the Orito, Mocoa, Guineo and Orteguáza River basins and 221,642 inhabitants in the Alto Mayo River basin. Duration: July 2012 – July 2017 (5 years)

Team

Ulla Helimo, Erwin Palacios, Eddy Mendoza, Milagros Sandoval, Carmen Noriega, Claudio Schneider, Alonso Castro, Ivo Encomenderos, Jose Rodriguez, Arturo Rivas and varios consultants and experts.