Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on... more Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on wild-capture fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Furthermore, some studies associated with the water–energy–food nexus have appropriately linked the impacts of hydropower dams to fisheries and human nutrition. Although some research related to food security and nutrition considered changes in human dietary preferences over time, studies about the impacts of hydropower dams on fisheries often implicitly assume that there have been no changes in dietary preferences. Here, we investigate two communities located near tributaries of the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. We find that while wild-caught aquatic animals remain important, their utilization has shifted due to changes in dietary preferences and other factors. In particular, people often sell wild-caught fish, and use the money to buy other types of animal protein to consume. We suggest that this important issue deserves more attention.
Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on... more Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on wild-capture fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Furthermore, some studies associated with the water–energy–food nexus have appropriately linked the impacts of hydropower dams to fisheries and human nutrition. Although some research related to food security and nutrition considered changes in human dietary preferences over time, studies about the impacts of hydropower dams on fisheries often implicitly assume that there have been no changes in dietary preferences. Here, we investigate two communities located near tributaries of the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. We find that while wild-caught aquatic animals remain important, their utilization has shifted due to changes in dietary preferences and other factors. In particular, people often sell wild-caught fish, and use the money to buy other types of animal protein to consume. We suggest that this important issue deserves more attention.
The Pak Mun Dam on the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand has long b... more The Pak Mun Dam on the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand has long been one of the most controversial hydropower projects in Southeast Asia. The environmental and social impacts associated with blocking important fish migrations between the mainstream Mekong River and the Mun River Basin are particularly well known. Fishers, non-governmental organisations and academics have advocated for opening the gates of the dam either year-round or at least for an extended period, and especially at the beginning of the rainy season when a large number of fish migrate upstream. Crucially, however, the dam's gates are not always opened at the beginning of the rainy season as required by previous agreements. Water management issues associated with opening the Pak Mun Dam have become increasingly complex and fraught because of additional challenges relating to the construction of new infrastructure such as irrigation dams on tributaries, and because of an increasing...
Over the last two decades, significant changes in lowland rice cultivation practices have occurre... more Over the last two decades, significant changes in lowland rice cultivation practices have occurred in mainland Southeast Asia. Here, we compare lowland rice farming in six provinces in northeastern Thailand and four districts in Savannakhet Province in southern Laos and consider the ways that agrarian change, including the deepening of capitalist relations, is occurring. Some of the most important changes taking place relate to increasing mechanization, remittances, changing bases of labour's simple reproduction, and the increased importance of international markets, especially for organic rice. These changes and associated government policies are having a considerable influence on agricultural practices. The Chinese market for organic rice from Laos is reducing pesticide and herbicides use and prolonging hand‐transplanting of paddy, while encouraging farmers to use uniform sized high‐yielding rice varieties, and abandoning local seeds. Rice exports from Laos are having both pos...
Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on... more Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on wild-capture fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Furthermore, some studies associated with the water–energy–food nexus have appropriately linked the impacts of hydropower dams to fisheries and human nutrition. Although some research related to food security and nutrition considered changes in human dietary preferences over time, studies about the impacts of hydropower dams on fisheries often implicitly assume that there have been no changes in dietary preferences. Here, we investigate two communities located near tributaries of the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. We find that while wild-caught aquatic animals remain important, their utilization has shifted due to changes in dietary preferences and other factors. In particular, people often sell wild-caught fish, and use the money to buy other types of animal protein to consume. We suggest that this important issue deserves more attention.
Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on... more Over the last few decades, much has been written about the negative impacts of hydropower dams on wild-capture fisheries in the Mekong River Basin. Furthermore, some studies associated with the water–energy–food nexus have appropriately linked the impacts of hydropower dams to fisheries and human nutrition. Although some research related to food security and nutrition considered changes in human dietary preferences over time, studies about the impacts of hydropower dams on fisheries often implicitly assume that there have been no changes in dietary preferences. Here, we investigate two communities located near tributaries of the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province, northeastern Thailand. We find that while wild-caught aquatic animals remain important, their utilization has shifted due to changes in dietary preferences and other factors. In particular, people often sell wild-caught fish, and use the money to buy other types of animal protein to consume. We suggest that this important issue deserves more attention.
The Pak Mun Dam on the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand has long b... more The Pak Mun Dam on the Mun River in Ubon Ratchathani Province in northeastern Thailand has long been one of the most controversial hydropower projects in Southeast Asia. The environmental and social impacts associated with blocking important fish migrations between the mainstream Mekong River and the Mun River Basin are particularly well known. Fishers, non-governmental organisations and academics have advocated for opening the gates of the dam either year-round or at least for an extended period, and especially at the beginning of the rainy season when a large number of fish migrate upstream. Crucially, however, the dam's gates are not always opened at the beginning of the rainy season as required by previous agreements. Water management issues associated with opening the Pak Mun Dam have become increasingly complex and fraught because of additional challenges relating to the construction of new infrastructure such as irrigation dams on tributaries, and because of an increasing...
Over the last two decades, significant changes in lowland rice cultivation practices have occurre... more Over the last two decades, significant changes in lowland rice cultivation practices have occurred in mainland Southeast Asia. Here, we compare lowland rice farming in six provinces in northeastern Thailand and four districts in Savannakhet Province in southern Laos and consider the ways that agrarian change, including the deepening of capitalist relations, is occurring. Some of the most important changes taking place relate to increasing mechanization, remittances, changing bases of labour's simple reproduction, and the increased importance of international markets, especially for organic rice. These changes and associated government policies are having a considerable influence on agricultural practices. The Chinese market for organic rice from Laos is reducing pesticide and herbicides use and prolonging hand‐transplanting of paddy, while encouraging farmers to use uniform sized high‐yielding rice varieties, and abandoning local seeds. Rice exports from Laos are having both pos...
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