Farmers' Adaptation to Rural Development Policy Under Theun-Hinboun Hydropower Project: A Case Study of Sobngouang Village, Khamkeuth District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR

The objectives of the study on “Farmers’ Adaptation to Rural Development Under Theun-Hinboun Hydropower Project: A Case Study of Sobngouang Village, Khamkeuth District, Bolikhamxay Province, Lao PDR” were; 1) to study the farmers’ adaptation to agricultural practice and its productivity due to land use change after dam construction under the Thuen-Hinboun Hydropower Project and; 2) to investigate how farmers adapted in terms of household economy and marketing to land use change and expansion of consumption and modernization. The research employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Reviews of literature were compiled and secondary data were collected from various sources. The data were later analyzed and used to complement primary data obtained by means of questionnaire from 66 farmer households (all households were included). Other data collecting methods included field walk survey, observation, in-depth interviews and group discussions in order to acquire othe r relevant information. These data were reviewed in comparison to the basic information compiled by the Thuen-Hinboun Hydropower Project and the district administrative office. The data were then qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics including numbers, percentage and means. The results were descriptively presented together with figures and tables. Based on the study, it was found that government development policy and dam construction affected all farmer households, especially two main policies, namely, Stabilization of shifting cultivation policy aiming to reduce and stabilize farming in the highlands, and Land and forest allocation policy, both leading to positive and negative impacts. In the past prior to dam construction, 83.7 percent of land in Bon Phu (highland areas) were used to practice shifting upland rice cultivation and other crops and 7.7 percent of land in Bon Piang (low land areas) were utilized for the same activities as well as for river bank gardens . At present, as a result of the implementation of the government policy through activities and assistances of the Hydropower Project, it was observed that land use and cropping practice have been changed. That is, in the Bon Phu, only 47.5 percent of the areas were used for shifting upland rice cultivation and for growing other crops. In total 6.4 percent of land was used for permanent upland rice farming and agarwood agroforestry systems.

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