Mekong Forum on Water, Food and Energy. 2012. Presentation from Session 1: Smarting Small: Hydropower Dams for Water, Food and Energy

1. HYDROPOWER DAMS FOR WATER, FOOD AND ENERGY
Dr. Tran Duc Toan
Soils and Fertilizers Research Institute

2. Yali Hydropower and main parameters
Yali hydropower has built since 1993-2002
Installed capacity: 720 MW , 4 turbines
Area of basin: 744.500 ha
Water storage capacity: 8515 cubic meter
Water effective level: 515 m of altitude
Ware dead level: 490 m of altitude
 Main objective is electricity generation to
national grid system

3. Hydropower and Resettlement Context
Yali hydropower & Resettlement impacts
Table1: Affected by Yali Hydropower
Local livelihood also affected by HP
Items Unit Amount
1.Resettled people Individual 5,381
2.Resettled households HH 1,149
3. Resettlement village Village 9
4. Inundated land ha 6,480
5. Farming land ha 1,933
6. Wet-rice crop field ha 871
7. Other crops ha 1,100
8. Forest land ha 3,492
Sources: Report on Resettlement of Yali hydropower project. Vietnam, 2001

4. Rapid changes in farmer’s livelihood
Rapid changed in living conditions
It was 1149 HH has resettled & compensation
house have been built
Land loss due to water in reservoir raise up Resettlement house by HP
871 ha of paddy land and 1.100 ha of other
crops have been inundated
No longer land for cultivation , livestock
What happen to livelihood of farmer ?
Cultivated land has been inundated

5. Rapid changes in farming system
Broad Scale Survey defined
 Cropping pattern massively change of after resettlement
 Upland crops such as hill rice, maize and cassava are become
main crops
 Cassava has been dominated crop in the upland area since 2005
 Farmer’s livelihood more depended on
upland crops
 Industrial crops such as rubber, coffee, gluticea
have developed since 2005
 Upland has uncontrolled and massively
explored for food crop, industrial crops

6. Major challenges for Local livelihood after resettlement
 Paddy land is scarcity due to land loss
 Irrigation has destroyed , water shortage for
agriculture
 High pressure of population, immigration
 Upland degradation trend to be extended
 Land selling between Ethnic – Kinh or Outsiders
The rural poor
&
food insecurity

7. Potential for enhancing local livelihood
 Semi-flood land area is available for food security
 Soil is alluvial with high fertile
 It is suitable for many different crops
 Government law support for local people
 Yali HP also support for local people
 Semi-flood land area has exploited for agriculture but inefficiency
Major constraints
 Water in reservoir rise up when Yali HP stores water for electricity generation
 Earlier harvesting in semi-flood land area lead to poor yield

8. Water behavior of Yali reservoir
Table: Semi-flood land exposed in reservoir
Altitude (m) Months
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
510-512 m ---- //////////////////////////////////////////////////// ---------------------
Duration of exposed land 210 days Water
submerged Water level in January
512-514 m ---- ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// -----------------
Duration of exposed land 240 days Water
submerged
514- 515 m ---- ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ----------
Duration of exposed land 270 days Water
submerged
Cropping season must be within 210-270 days
Water level after Feb

9. Yali Reservoir and Semi-flood land area
Possibility of agriculture in semi-flood land area
Table: Semi-flood land area in Yali reservoir
Communes Semi-flood land area/ Water level (m) Total
(ha)
490-495 495-500 500-505 505-510 510-515
Sa Binh 3.6 109.0 31.8 34.5 211.3 390.1
Yali 28.4 261.3 118.9 107.1 414.7 930.5
Ya xier 2.9 6.1 147.3 156.2
Ya Tang 20.7 125.2 88.2 91.2 194.1 519.4
Total 52.7 495.5 241.8 238.8 967.4 1996.2
Figure: Map of Yali reservoir (4 communes)
 Agriculture only use above 505 m of altitude

10. Pilot trial in semi-flood land area
 Shorten cassava variety KM98-7 has tested in semi-flood area
 Growth period: 7-10 month = 210-300 days
Faster
growing
KM98-7
KM98-7 & KM 94 in semi-flood land area KM98-7 in semi-flood land area

11. Pilot trial in semi-flood land area
 Training for farmer on cultivation techniques
- Introduce new cassava variety
- Cultivation techniques
- Feedback from local people?
Field monitoring in pilot trial

12. Pilot trial & Results
Cassava yield before water in reservoir raise up
Tube of cassava after 3 months
Table: Cassava yield at harvesting time
Varieties Duration Yield Starch
(days) (ton/ha) content
KM98-7 230 30,0-33,0 26 % **
KM94 230 19,0-21,0 21%
KM140 230 24,0-26,0 22%

13. Pilot trial and Beneficiaries
First year of testing & Who are beneficiaries
 Leader of commune and Kinh people must pioneer
 The result of pilot trial is an evidence to convince ethnic minority to
involve in
 Training courses and field visit has adverted for MK1 activities in Yali
reservoir through Shorten Cassava KM97-8
 Local staff has recognized which crops varieties can use in semi-flood
land area

14. Less learn from pilot trial of MK1
Key points to achieve a successful of MK1 in Vietnam
 Any livelihood activities must suitable with local condition (bio-physical and
social context)
 Livelihood activities must fit with local strategies
 The market demand should take consideration
 Enhancing the role of local government /local staff in pilot trial
 Yali hydropower must engage with local government

15. Future Perspective of MK1
 Continuously extending KM98-7 in semi-food land area for improvement of
local livelihood
 Income diversify for farmer in semi-flood land area by other shorten crop
varieties need to identify for further local livelihood improvement
 Equity of beneficiaries , especially ethnic minority people
 Poor farmer households and Resettlement people will be focused

16. MK1 Project