A groundwater pump irrigates a rice field in the Lower Mekong Basin. Chun Socheata/UNESCO
A joint field mission on two transboundary groundwater projects involving UNESCO, the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology took place in Prey Veng and Svay Rieng provinces from August 28-30.
The projects seek to address the pressing challenges of groundwater management in the region, particularly in Prey Veng’s Svay Ontor and Svay Rieng’s Kampong Ro districts, according to a UNESCO press release dated September 3.
The release stated that the mission involved extensive discussions with provincial and district stakeholders, aiming to assess the current state of groundwater resources, particularly in agricultural areas that depend heavily on groundwater for irrigation. The team emphasised that the projects will play a crucial role in addressing the impacts of climate change on water resources.
One of the two projects, the "Groundwater Resources in the Greater Mekong Subregion: Collaborative Management to Increase Climate Resilience", is funded by the Adaptation Fund (ADF) and will be implemented over four years in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
According to UNESCO, the project aims to "enhance the sustainable management and utilisation of groundwater resources as an adaptation response to climate change impacts in the Greater Mekong Subregion".
The second initiative, "Enhancing Sustainability of the Transboundary Cambodia-Mekong River Delta Aquifer", is a five-year project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The project focuses on ensuring environmental sustainability and water security in the Lower Mekong Basin, with Cambodia and Vietnam as its primary beneficiaries.
Led by UNESCO in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), it addresses the critical challenges of groundwater depletion and its impact on ecosystems, according to the release.
The organisation stated that during the field visit, the team met with local officials, including provincial and district governors, to gather crucial data and map out usage.
It said groundwater in these districts is primarily utilised for irrigation, particularly for rice fields, but over-extraction has led to a decline in levels, further complicated by prolonged droughts and changing precipitation patterns due to climate change.
"The extensive use of groundwater has led to a decline in groundwater storage, making it increasingly difficult and costly to access this vital resource," the press release highlighted.
UNESCO noted that both projects are still in their early stages, with assessments being conducted to determine groundwater availability, resilience potential and the effects of extraction on local ecosystems.
It said these findings will help guide sustainable management practices and support communities reliant on groundwater for their livelihoods.
It added that the team also engaged with farmers in the region to gain insights into their experiences with groundwater use, essential for developing practical solutions.
