"Approaches to Watershed Management and Sustainability of the Renewable Natural Resources: An Indian Experience "

Abstract

of renewable natural resources, in general, and common pool natural resources (e.g., land, Water and Forests) in particular has now become a major concern to natural resources policy makers, planners, scholars and managers in both developed and developing countries of world. The term Sustainability implies ability of a natural resources system to produce socially optimum level of output which is necessary to meet in perpetuity needs and aspirations of people dependent on system, with no detrimental effects on resources system itself and physical environment, and with no imposition of significantly greater risks on future generations. In other words, sustainabilify implies not only conserving natural products which are maintaining ecological functions and supply of natural resources products essential to livelihoods of local people. Although CPRs include such diverse things as common pastures or grazing lands, community forests, community fish ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, ground water basins, air sheds, etc., they all face one common problem and that is: how to co-ordinate whole community. The occurrence to the tragedy of commons implies loss of sustainability, which translates to loss of welfare on part of those who depend on CPRs in question for their livelihood. Both developed and developing countries of world are best with the tragedy of commons and are in search of practicable strategies to resolve problem. In this paper, drawing upon India's experience, an attempt is made to show how watershed management approach could attain sustainability of renewable natural resources of land, water and forest in general and CPRs in particular.