The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) is a subsidiary region of the Mekong River, with approximately 50 million people directly dependent on the river for livelihood and economic activities. However, communities in the region are increasingly exposed to multiple hazards that have significant direct and indirect impacts on their livelihoods. To implement efficient risk management strategies, it is important to understand the interlinkages between the different dimensions and factors that influence livelihood security and resilience in such communities. Through a literature review and expert workshop, this paper studies the multi-hazard scenario and impacts in the LMB region and the interlinkages between livelihoods and resilience in the LMB communities. The paper consolidates these findings and proposes a localized assessment framework that can be used by stakeholders in decision-making process. Floods and droughts were identified as primary natural hazards, while a multi-hazard assessment highlighted a wide spatial variation in the hazard levels across the region. The primary impacts of such hazards are on the agricultural communities dependent on the basin’s ecosystem and natural resources for their livelihoods. A holistic framework has been proposed to measure the multi-hazard livelihood security and resilience in LMB communities that can be used by government authorities and development partners in planning and implementing mitigation and preparedness activities to manage and reducing the risk of hazards.

This paper presents a framework and toolkit for assessment of multi-hazard livelihood security and resilience in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) communities. The LMB is a subsidiary region of the Mekong region in South East Asia, and is frequently exposed to hydrometeorological hazards and anthropogenic stressors that expose and directly affect the livelihoods of more than sixty-five million people living in the region. The main purpose of the study is to support decision-making and risk management planning through integration of the concepts of livelihood security and resilience into a holistic framework, and subsequently developing an index-based toolkit for conducting assessments. Firstly, dimensions, sub-dimensions and indicators for measurement of livelihood security and resilience in the LMB were identified through comprehensive literature review and expert consultation. Then, several local workshops were conducted with various stakeholders (researchers, government officials, community people) in the LMB region to validate the indicators and generate weightages. The indicators were then arranged in a matriculated form, and the weightages were used to generate the algorithm for computing the quantitative outputs of livelihood security and resilience in study area. An Excel toolkit and a ‘R’ programming package were developed using the algorithm for visualization of the assessment outcomes. The proposed framework and toolkit are expected to assist researchers, government officials and development professionals in generating robust resilience assessment indices for risk informed decision-making and planning.

The diverse agricultural landscape in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) encompasses vulnerable smallholder farmers, whose livelihoods are exposed to the impacts of natural hazards, environmental degradation and climate change. This paper aims to understand the vulnerability and risk drivers to agricultural livelihoods in the LMB and the existing capacities, policies and strategies to strengthen livelihoods. The inherent capacities (capitals) of these communities have helped them withstand and cope with the impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors on their livelihoods. Skills, training and indigenous knowledge complemented by social networks and co-operatives are crucial to human and social capital. Similarly, water management, irrigation infrastructure, and demarcation and protection of natural resources have helped reduce potential impacts on agricultural activities and outputs. These are supported through financial instruments such as grants, subsidies and loans. On the other hand, while extant policies and strategies in LMB countries acknowledge the vital role of agriculture in socioeconomic development, the utilisation of robust assessment frameworks pertaining to livelihood resilience is limited. This paper discusses the potential advantages of incorporating integrated livelihood resilience assessments in current policies, which can help in designing context-specific strategies and optimise resource allocation for sustainable livelihood development in the LMB. However, to ensure robust assessments, stakeholders must harmonise assessment frameworks, promote community engagement, enhance data availability and strengthen institutional collaboration.