Watershed Approach—A Ray of Hope to Rainfed Farmer

Abstract

areas, as it contributes to 42.2 per cent of the total food production in the country. The crop productivity in irrigated areas has reached near saturation and scope for increasing area under irrigation is limited. Therefore, the option left is to develop rainfed areas to meet the food requirement of ever growing population. In rainfed areas most of the holdings (80 per cent) are marginal (<1 ha) and small (1-2 ha) and as such the prevailing fragile socio-economic conditions of these farmers have aggravated problems of achieving higher crop productivity in rainfed areas. The research information generated for rainfed areas has shown great potential to increase crop production besides offering better alternatives for non-arable land use. Realising this potential in rainfed areas, the Government of Karnataka (a southern state in India) took a pioneering step in constituting Dryland Development Board (DLDB, 1984) to implement the ‘Watershed Development Programme (WDP) in all the 18 districts of the state on the model of Kabbalanala World Bank Aided Watershed Project (1983). The DLDB is unique in terms of unified approach, integrated development of an area, research linkage and flexibility compared to a number of past attempts to develop rainfed areas. The operational area of these Watersheds varied from 15,000 to 45,000 hectares. The main focus of WDP is to conserve soil and moisture through appropriate soil conservation structures, scientific cropping pattern and crop management practices apart from optimal use of non-arable land, based on land capability classification and rainfall probability analysis of the area; eventually to increase productivity, create additional employment opportunities, minimise migration to urban areas and thus to raise the net income of these farmers leading to better standard of living. Effective extension educational strategies were inbuilt to educate the beneficiaries in the programme. Mass media like radio, newspaper and relevant folders were extensively used to create awareness and interest among beneficiaries. Group discussion meetings, field walks and study tours were organised to educate at planning stage, while training and creation of watershed management committee for each village were ensured for the active participation of beneficiaries at execution stage. The WDP in Karnataka which was initiated during 1985-86, completed five years of implementation in the project area and attained a stage of stabilization in adopting and deriving benefits from the watershed technologies. Thus, the time was found appropriate to conduct a systematic enquiry into the overall consequences of WDP. The consequences were quantified by using indicators such as technological changes (adoption, change in cropping pattern and crop yield), economic benefits (economic performance, employment generation and credit repayment pattern), entrepreneurial