An Evaluation of Living with Flood Policy

Abstract

The study was conducted at Long An commune of Tan Chau district of An Giang province. Surveys were implemented at Tan Hau B2, Long Hoa, Long Hiep, and Long Thanh villages at Long An commune. The study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative data were collected by in-depth interview (IDI) and focus group discussion (FGD). Three managers at the district, commune, and village levels were interviewed in the study and three FGD surveys with the two for people living inside the resettlement clusters (RCs) and one for people living outside the RCs. There were three household surveys, with the two for people living inside the RCs and one for people living in the eroded area. In implementing the resettlement program, there were three stakeholders involved, namely, provincial authority, district authority, and commune authority. The provincial authority was responsible for directing the district authorities to implement the policies such as planning the RCs and selecting the target groups for the RCs. The province was also the one who directly received the financial source from the central government. The district authority was responsible for designing the RCs such as selecting the place for the RCs and determining the size of the RCs. The district authority is also responsible for managing the investment capital allocated for building the RCs. The commune authority took part in the monitoring and the allocation of the resident plots in the RCs. Once the RCs are completed, a new administrative unit is established and managed under the commune authority. The study showed that the resettlement program had problems of unsustained financial, bad livelihood condition, and poor quality of infrastructures. The study also revealed that there was no change in income sources and employment since they relocated in the RCs. The resettlers’ income was lower than before. The resettlers had more difficulties in getting jobs. Although the livelihood in the RCs was still not good, almost the respondents felt happy with living in the RCs. Survey also indicated that people who currently lived outside the RCs are expected to move to live in the RCs. In adapting to the permanent flood situation, to cope with floods effectively, in the long run, people need to adjust habits and social and economic activities towards living with floods and getting benefits from floods rather than preventing floods. At the national level, planning economic development strategies in the MD needs to be consistent with the living with flood (LWF) policy. At the local level, authorities need to persuade people to change the realization towards adapting to the flood and choose the way to live with the flood.