The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) is a subsidiary region of the Mekong River, with approximately 50 million people directly dependent on the river for livelihood and economic activities. However, communities in the region are increasingly exposed to multiple hazards that have significant direct and indirect impacts on their livelihoods. To implement efficient risk management strategies, it is important to understand the interlinkages between the different dimensions and factors that influence livelihood security and resilience in such communities. Through a literature review and expert workshop, this paper studies the multi-hazard scenario and impacts in the LMB region and the interlinkages between livelihoods and resilience in the LMB communities. The paper consolidates these findings and proposes a localized assessment framework that can be used by stakeholders in decision-making process. Floods and droughts were identified as primary natural hazards, while a multi-hazard assessment highlighted a wide spatial variation in the hazard levels across the region. The primary impacts of such hazards are on the agricultural communities dependent on the basin’s ecosystem and natural resources for their livelihoods. A holistic framework has been proposed to measure the multi-hazard livelihood security and resilience in LMB communities that can be used by government authorities and development partners in planning and implementing mitigation and preparedness activities to manage and reducing the risk of hazards.

Disasters every year proclaim life of thousands and destruct infrastructures worth billions worldwide. Moreover, the developing countries are more prone to hazards as they are found to be lagging in early preparedness regarding the consequences of disaster. Nepal, in the wake of the 7.8 magnitude 2015 Gorkha Earthquake had to face devastating effects as the country lost nearly ten-thousand lives and structures accounting 6.69 billion US$ (NRA, 2016). Private Housing, one of the subordinates of social sector, faced the colossal damage, making the dwellers bound to take shelter under the makeshift tents. To that end, government has adopted owner driven approach for reconstruction and it is advancing in an amplified way. Since the rural terrains with low strength masonry had to face shattering effects, the reconstruction demands their construction with incorporation of seismic resistant components. The technique of construction since significantly differs than the primitive way, diverse modes of assistance is required by house owners to make their buildings codal compliant, which is also linked with obtaining subsidy. Not only reconstruction is a technical process, rather it is also a blend of economic, social and cross cutting issues. Having said that, the paper aims to study a multidimensional approach of socio-technical assistance (STA) through the study of different cases of ongoing post-earthquake reconstruction. The paper studies the impacts of socio-technical assistance being provided at various earthquake affected areas to understand what aspects of socio-technical assistance are aiding in the current reconstruction process. In conclusion, the paper identifies the core areas of sociotechnical assistance that is required in the aftermath of a disaster and how the current institutional structure can be modified to enhance the quality of socio-technical assistance being provided through various government and non-government agencies.

<p>The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) is a subsidiary region of the Mekong River, with approximately 10 million people directly dependent on the river for livelihood and economic activities. However, communities in the region are increasingly exposed to multiple hazards that have significant direct and indirect impacts on their livelihoods. The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, Japan supported project aims to develop a multi-stakeholder Livelihood Security and Resilience Assessment (LiSeRA) framework by studying the dimensions and factors influencing livelihood security and resilience in communities living in the LMB region.</p> <p>This paper studies the multi-hazard scenario and impacts in the LMB region, the interlinkages between livelihood and resilience, and proposes a localized assessment framework that can be used by stakeholders in decision-making process. Floods, droughts and tropical storms were identified as primary natural hazards, while a multi-hazard assessment highlighted a wide spatial variation in the hazard levels across the region. The proposed framework provides a tool to measure the multi-hazard livelihood security and resilience in LMB communities, and can be used by government authorities and development partners in planning and implementing mitigation and preparedness activities to manage and reduce the risk of hazards.</p>

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