Second  Announcement
with information on Sessions and registration   

Deadline of abstract submission extended to 15 July 2004

International Conference on

Effective Land-Water Interface Management for Solving Agriculture-Fishery-Aquaculture Conflicts in Coastal Zones

1 – 3 March 2005, Bac Lieu, Vietnam
organized by
World Fish Center
International Rice Research Institute
International Water Management Institute
People’s Committee of Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam
Can Tho University, Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Coastal zones are home to over 50% of the world’s population and support much of the world’s food production, industry, transportation, and recreation needs, while also delivering vitally important ecosystem services. However, ecological and socio-economic vulnerability and risk in these zones are critical issues. People living in this sub-ecosystem are among the poorest and the most food-insecure.

Because agricultural production in coastal zones is hindered by seawater intrusion during the dry season, one common strategy is to construct embankments and install sluice gates to keep out saline water. This strategy fails to recognize the diversity of rural livelihoods in coastal zones, and the environmental consequences for water quality and aquatic biodiversity. In some other areas, widespread spontaneous intake of saline water for shrimp (Penaeus monodon) farming leads to social and environmental disruption. The conflict among different resource uses at the interface between fresh and saline water is common in deltaic coastal areas of Asia

This International Conference will focus on the inland coastal zones affected by salinity intrusion in parts of the year and comprehensively assess their sound management to address conflicts among resource uses for the benefit of the poor and for environment sustainability.

Results from the conference contribute to the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture (http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/assessment), a collaborative program designed to provide an assessment of the water-food-livelihoods-environment nexus to guide future investments in using water for food.

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this conference are:

1. To provide an assessment of the dependence of farmers and fishermen on coastal zone resources, and the ecological implications of resource use based on case studies and participants’ experience
2. To identify processes in, and tools for managing the land-water interface for solving agriculture-fishery-aquaculture-ecosystem conflicts in coastal areas.
3. To exchange the findings on land-water interface management from case studies in various countries
4. To develop collaboration opportunities for future action and research.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS

Expected outputs from the Conference are:

1. A proceedings of the conference publishing presented papers.
2. Key messages and supporting research as input into the Comprehensive Assessment process.
3. Identification of actions that can be taken, future research needs, and collaborative efforts to solve problems.

IMPORTANT DATES

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

1- 2 March 2005: presentation and discussion

3 March: field trip to selected sites in coastal areas in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Details forthcoming in third announcement on the Comprehensive Assessment website

Call for Papers    

We welcome your contributions. These should be relevant to the objectives of the conferences and addresses issues described in the conference sessions below. Initial selection of papers will be based on (i) new scientific contributions and (ii) relevance and impact of the studies as they are transpired in the submitted abstract.  Final selection will be based on a peer review process.

Conference Sessions (Tentative)       

Session 1:  Diversified livelihood in coastal zones

People living in the coastal zone rely on its rich and diverse resources for their livelihood.  Papers in this session will focus on (i) the importance of sustaining this diversity for livelihoods of coastal zone inhabitants, focusing on the poor and the landless; and (ii) the social and ecological implication of resource management in coastal zones.

Session 2: Processes for managing coastal resources

Land, water and biological resources in the coastal zones are characterized by the interface between fresh- and brackish-water environments, their complexity and, interdependence.  Papers in this session will

·         Quantify the processes that takes place in coastal zones;

·         Quantify the environmental consequences of land and water management interventions

Session 3: Tools for managing coastal resources

This session focuses on tools (analytic, bio-physical, socio-economic) for managing land-water interface for solving agriculture-fishery-aquaculture conflicts in coastal areas, e.g.

·         Socio economic study tools and methodology

·         Systems and modeling approaches

Session 4: Case studies of land-water interface management

Papers in this session exchange the findings on land-water interface management from the case studies in various countries.  The case studies include policy interventions.

Session 5:  Synthesis and Research collaborating opportunities

This session will comprise a series of workshops/discussions to a) develop and discuss key messages to be included in the Comprehensive Assessment, and b) to identify major research issues addressing the conflicts among agriculture, aquaculture and fishery in the coastal zones and identify research collaborating opportunities.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Language:      English

Co-Sponsors

• Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management for Agriculture (http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/assessment/)
• Challenge Program on Water and Food (http://www.waterforfood.org/)
• World Fish Center, WorldFish, Malaysia (http://www.worldfishcenter.org/)
• International Rice Research Institute, IRRI, Philippines (http://www.irri.org/)
• International Water Management Institute, IWMI, Sri Lanka (http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/)
• People’s Committee of Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam

International organizing committee

• Dr. Mark Prein (World Fish Center, WorldFish, Malaysia)
• Dr. Eric Baran (World Fish Center, WorldFish, Malaysia)
• Mr. Nguyen Truong Giang (People’s Committee of Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam)
• Dr. To Phuc Tuong (International Rice Research Institute, IRRI, Philippines)
• Dr. David Molden (International Water Magement Institute, IWMI, Sri Lanka)
• Dr. Chu Thai Hoanh (International Water Magement Institute, IWMI, Sri Lanka)
• Dr. John Gowing (University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK)

Local organizing committee

• Mr. Diep Chan Ben (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Bac Lieu)
• Dr. Duong Van Ni (Can Tho University, Vietnam)
• Dr. Nguyen Van Nhan (Integrated Resources Mapping Center, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
• Ms. Nguyen Thi  Van Hong, ntvhong@ctu.edu.vn

Venue

People’s Committee of Bac Lieu Province, Vietnam

Location and weather

Bac Lieu Province is located on the southeast of the Mekong River Delta, 280 km (6 hours by car) from Ho Chi Minh City. Temperature at the beginning of March is 24 ^oC - 32 ^oC. No rain.

Accommodation

To be announced in the subsequent announcements

Contact address

Dr. Chu Thai Hoanh, IWMI, cthoanh@cgiar.org

Dr. To Phuc Tuong, IRRI, t.tuong@cgair.org

Dr. Mark Prein (WorldFish), m.prein@cgiar.org

Dr. Duong Van Ni, CTU, dvni@ctu.edu.vn

Visa, transport and accommodation arrangement

Ms. Nguyen Thi  Van Hong, ntvhong@ctu.edu.vn

Dr. Duong Van Ni, CTU, dvni@ctu.edu.vn

REGISTRATION  AND CONFERENCE FEE    

Participants will have to fill in a registration form, which will be posted on the web by 15 October 2004.

Travel to Ho Chi Minh City and return will be self arranged by participants. Local Organizing Committee will help in visa application for participants and arranging accommodations in Ho Chi Minh City, if requested.

A Conference Fee (tentatively estimated 400 US$) should be submitted to Local Organizing Committee at arrival in Ho Chi Minh to cover:

1. Transport from Ho Chi Minh City to Bac Lieu and return
2. Accommodation for four nights in Bac Lieu during the Conference
3. Field trip in Bac Lieu
4. Meals and reception during the conference and the field trip in Bac Lieu
5. Stationary support at the Conference.

For invited participants, the Conference organizer will offer an economy return airticket to Ho Chi Minh City, transport, accommodation and meals in arrival and departure days in Ho Chi Minh City if needed, and the above registration fee.