Myanmar Integrated Water Resources Management Strategic Study 2014.

Myanmar Integrated Water Resources Management Strategic Study aims to provide building blocks for eventual national planning for integrated development of Myanmar’s water resources.
The Strategic Study seeks to promote food security, and rural poverty reduction. Two of the guiding principles identified in the Document for Integrated Water Resource Management in Myanmar are: 1. Triple‐bottom line of economically viable, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive. Every decision concerning water resources should be based on this triple‐bottom line. 2. Fair, transparent allocation of water should also be based on the triple base line, to achieve food security and support livelihood.
The objective of Integrated Watershed Management is to improve farmer's livelihoods and protect the environment in poor and often highly degraded watersheds in the mountainous and hilly regions of Myanmar by promoting a replicable model of sustainable rural development. Through a participatory design process activities will be packaged into an integrated set of interventions for individual sub‐watersheds. (1) Soil and water conservation through physical investments for public interest including minimum capital farmland, sediment retention structures, afforestation and vegetative cover, and village infrastructure such as water supply facilities. (2) Livelihood improvement with physical investments designed to improve the income of farmers including: terracing slopes, horticulture and fruit and nut trees, grasslands, livestock development, irrigation and drainage and renewable energy supply. (3) Project management and support services ensuring the participatory design process with inclusion of vulnerable groups, quality of implementation, the right institutional setting for sustainable operation and maintenance, the mitigation of environmental and social risks, and strong monitoring and evaluation.
The Strategic Study gives an comprehensive outline of the Myanmar water context and challenges and opportunities. Three different scenarios are considered, covering a broad spectrum of possible future developments: 1. Progressive shift towards a balance between agriculture and small to medium scale industry; 2. Rapid shift towards industrial development; 3.A prolonged agriculture‐based development. The guiding principles identified in the Document for Integrated Water Resource Management in Myanmar further include: 1. Good governance through transparent informed decision making, based on objective standards, data‐ collecting and monitoring, is crucial to the objectives of equity, social justice and sustainability. 2. Prioritisation: water, after meeting the pre‐emptive needs for safe drinking water, sanitation and high priority allocation for other domestic needs, achieving food security, energy security, supporting sustenance agriculture and minimum eco‐system needs, may be treated as being economically good for promoting conservation and efficient use. 3. Water quality and quantity are interlinked and need to be managed in an integrated manner, consistent with broader environmental management approaches inter‐alia, including the use of economic incentives and penalties to reduce pollution and waste. The Strategic Study also highlights the need for capacity building in the field of Integrated Water Resource Management.
Climate change scenarios are also considered by the Strategic Study. The Document states that the impact of climate change on water resources availability must be factored into water‐management related decisions.