Riverbank erosion vulnerability assessment and coping strategies: A case study of the riparian communities in the Mekong River Basin in Cambodia

Abstract

Riverbank erosion is a major hazard for riparian communities in the Mekong River Basin. This study aims to (1) assess the livelihood vulnerability of two communities residing along the Mekong River, namely, Kaoh Soutin (KS) and Ruessei Srok (RS), by using the livelihood vulnerability index framed within the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change vulnerability framework (LVI-IPCC) and (2) identify the coping strategies of the communities based on semi-structured interviews. The results show that KS is slightly more vulnerable to riverbank erosion than RS, as indicated by LVI-IPCC values of 0.49 and 0.46 for KS and RS, respectively. RS exhibits high adaptive capacity and low sensitivity, but its exposure level is relatively high. Majority of the respondents in KS (62 %) and RS (93 %) were affected by riverbank erosion. In KS, approximately 48 % of the respondents experienced displacement, and 39 % of them relocated once. Meanwhile, in RS, 81 % of the respondents experienced displacement, with 46 % displaced at least three times. The affected households have coped with riverbank erosion by reducing expenses, diversifying their income sources, seeking support from others, and receiving assistance from local authorities, NGOs, and government interventions. Despite such efforts to mitigate the effects of riverbank erosion, the high level of exposure and external factors, such as high living costs and low profits from agriculture, have weakened the ability of the people in both communities to cope with disasters. Moreover, the social ties among households, especially in KS, have declined, thereby making low-income households highly vulnerable to riverbank erosion.