Title: The impacts of dam construction on natural resource access and the livelihoods of project-affected people: a case study of Binh Dien and Ta Trach dams in Thua Thien Hue Province, Viet Nam.

Pham Thi Nhung

I. Introduction Objectives To provide a detailed picture of the impacts of displacement

and resettlement policies associated with dam development on natural resources access (NRA) and the livelihoods of project-affected households.

The study’s specific objectives- To review all Vietnamese compensation and displacement

policies, and land policies.- To evaluate changing NRA and the negative or positive

impacts of displacement and compensation policies on displaced households’ access to natural resources.

- To evaluate livelihood changes, and the negative or positive impacts of displacement and compensation policies on displaced households’ livelihoods by focusing on income activities, incomes, assets, risks, and vulnerability.

- To draw a relationship between NRA, the displacement and resettlement policies associated with dam construction and the livelihoods of affected households.

Ta Trach RA: -197 Kinh households - To resettle in Binh Thanh Commune since 9/2005 due to construction Ta Trach dam.- Rate poor is 25% before resettlement and 50% in 2011. - Total area is 200ha (165 ha cultivated and building land , 35 ha of lake, rivulet and hollow land).

Binh Dien RA- 51 households (48 Catu households), population is 241 people with 114 labors.- To resettle in Binh Thanh commune since 2006 due to constrution Binh Dien hydropower.-Poor rate is 23% before resettlement and 49% in 2011-Total of its area is 35 ha.

II. Key findings2.1Compensation policy

Ta Trach project Average compensation level is

68million vnd/hh1.5 million vnd/hh to displace and

0.3 million vnd/hh to reclaim; household who move to others (not RA) was supported 3 million vnd; household who have wounded soldier, revolutionary martyr, the heroes was supported 1-3 million Vnd

30kg rice /person/month during 6 months

Binh Dien Project 29.5 million vnd and one

house with value 60 million vnd/hh

Support all of fee of displacement and reclaim

21 kg rice/person/month, during 12 months

Rate of money invests in components of resettlement program

Ta Trach projectTotal expense is 133billion

vnd (total 810households, 7 RAs).

Binh Dien projectTotal expense is 8.5billion

vnd (49 households, 1 RA)

whereas: 

41%

2%

55%

2%

45%

6%

42%

7%Compen-sationLivelihood support Infra-structureOther

Source: reports of Binh Dien and Binh Thanh resettlement programs

2.2 Changing of natural resources access

2.2.1 Changing of land access

Chart 3: Changing rate of household have land use certificate (LUC)(Percentage, N=125)

(Source: Survey household 2012)

building land forest land garden land0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 0 0

20

0

20

86.4

100

86.4

before resettlement 20062011

Chart 4: Change of efficiency of land use

Before reset-

tlement

2006 20110

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

17.9

8.8

5

7.3 7.3

4.7

Change efficiency of garden land use ( million

vnd/ha)

Ta TrachBinh Dien

Before resettle-

ment

20110

5

10

15

20

25

11

7.37

22.2

20.5

Change of efficiency of forest land use

( millon vnd/ha/year)

Ta TrachBinh Dien

Source: Household survey , 2012

Diagram 1: Impact of resettlement program on land access

Surface water source in RA

Surface water source in old place

Diagram 2 : Impact of resettlement program on access to CPR

3.3 Change and impacts of resettlement program on livelihood

Chart 5: Rate of participated household on income activities ( Percent, N=125)

Source: household survey, 2012

Chart 6: Income structure of household

Source: household survey, 2012

Chart 6: Change of important level of assets with livelihood of HH

Ta Trach Binh Dien

(Source: Group discussion 2012)

Diagram 4: Vulnerability in RA and cause

Thank you for your attention!