Watershed Management Project Research Articles

Approaches of Integrated Watershed Management Project: Experiences of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)

The process of innovation-development to scaling is varied and complex. Various actors are involved in every stage of the process. In scaling the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)-led integrated watershed management projects in India and South Asia, three drivers were identified—islanding approach, multi-layered partnership, and innovative means of knowledge sharing. Through a consortium mode of partnership, ICRISAT established ‘islands’ or models for showcasing soil and water conservation interventions and integrated these with other concerns of the farming system (crops and livestock) and socio-economic dimension (capacity building). Activities on the islands were planned and implemented by the locals and replicated in satellite watersheds. Partnerships forged through the consortium approach provided a dearth of resources such as social capital. Projects built on trust and good relationships can be sustained even when direct financial support ceases. Innovative means of knowledge sharing like the Virtual Academy for the Semi-Arid Tropics (VASAT)—ICRISAT's innovation in capacity building and information management—provided the link between rural farm households and researchers. Credible intermediaries and markets were linked to farmers by information communication technology channels and markets through an interface of information and open/distance learning methods. VASAT's multi-dimensional strategy has been an important resource for a south–south partnership.

Spatial Information Tools for Land Use Management Networks in Montane Mainland Southeast Asia

This paper describes a participatory watershed management project which uses GIS-based mapping as a basis for dialog and collaboration between local communities and partner institutions in Mae Chaem watershed, northern Thailand. Through the participatory mapping process, local communities were able to document local patterns of resource utilization and changes over time. This allowed outsiders to better understand the context of land use and more clearly see the potential of the area. Output maps from projects such as this are important information resources for communities, local watershed management networks, local governance, and other institutions. Such maps can also provide a basis for dialog in efforts to solve problems and conflicts regarding natural resources management at different scales.

Adoption of agriculture technology before and after the introduction of Watershed Management Project

This paper is intended to show the difference in agriculture technology before and after the introduction of watershed management project in the Pali village of Dehra Dun. There was change in time disposition pattern of the farmers, land-use pattern, agriculture tools use, cash crop production and fruits trees. The forest cover and irrigated land has been increased. Introduction of improved type of breed cattle helped the villagers in increasing the milk production. After the introduction of fodder grasses and soil conservation in the village, the soil erosion reduced. The fuel-wood dependency on the forest reduced due to introduction of bio-gas plant by project authority in the village. All the factors adopted by the farmers in the village helped them to increase the crop production and improve their economic condition after the introduction of the project in the village.

Bringing people's perceptions to project management desktops: a quantified participatory assessment of the Doon Valley Watershed Project in North India

A fairly simple, rapid and cost-effective methodology is presented for collecting quantitative and qualitative information from community assessments, based on user perceptions. Particular strengths of the methodology are the ability to collect information in the absence of baseline estimates and to collect quantitative information even on qualitative issues. Quantitative participatory assessment (QPA) builds on the methodology for participatory assessment (MPA). This paper presents the results of using QPA in a socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of a participatory watershed management project. The results compared favourably with the findings of more conventional impact studies that were carried out subsequently.

PROTECTING BEIJLNG'S MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY THROUGH WATERSHED MANAGEMEN AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT1

ABSTRACT: Watersheds above the Miyun reservoir, a principal source of surface water for Beijing, are designated to be managed for water production, but under the principle of multiple use. Because of the scarcity of arable land, these watersheds cannot be managed only for drinking water. Efforts are under way to reduce sediment delivery, improve the quality of water entering Miyun reservoir, and improve the welfare of watershed inhabitants. An economic appraisal of a watershed management project for the 3,298‐ha Shixia watershed above the Miyun reservoir, indicates a 24 percent economic rate of return on the investment made in the project. The net present value (NPV) of the project, calculated at a discount rate of 10 percent, is approximately US$3.49 million. Sensitivity analyses indicate that a doubling of labor costs lowers the NPV to US$2.07 million and a 10 percent decrease in benefits lowered the NPV to US$2.87. It is concluded that the implementation of conservation practices on the Shixia Demonstration Watershed represent an economically efficient use of resources.

Deterioration impact of Indian crested porcupine, Hystrix indica, on forestry and agricultural systems in Pakistan

In Pakistan, Hystrix indica is abundant and distributed all over the country. It has been identified as a serious pest of traditional as well as non-traditional crops, fruit orchards, vegetables, flowering plants and grasses of forage importance in rangelands. The most important porcupine damage, however, occurs in forestry and reforestation areas. Damage estimates of 52.5% to Melia azedarach, 24.3% to Morus alba and 1% to Dalbergia sissoo in different irrigated forest plantations of Punjab has been described. Severe stocking damage of 60% to Pinus roxburghii and 42% to Robinia pseudoacacia was recorded in different areas of Tarbela Watershed Management Project. Crops of economic importance such as maize, groundnut and potatoes are severely damaged in irrigated plains and mountain regions. Among the vegetables, okra, pumpkin, bitter gourd, and onions are badly damaged. In rangelands different species of grasses such as Pennisetum sp., Cenchrus ciliaris and Cymbopogan jawarancusa are uprooted which severely affects sustainable grazing. Dirt raised embankments of link and irrigational canals have become weakened because of the most favourable denning sites for the porcupines. Damage to plastic tubing is common where drip irrigation is practised.

Representing Communities: The Case of a Community-Based Watershed Management Project in Rajas than, India

Summary In India donors, governmental and non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) are currently investing heavily in participatory watershed development, yet with only partial success. Focusing on a community‐based watershed project in Rajasthan implemented by Seva Mandir, this article applies the tools of environmental entitlements analysis in a project evaluation mode to explore the effects of social difference on project experience and impact. Seva Mandir's investments in capabilities and social capital have successfully facilitated ‘community’ identity and action, across caste, class and gender differences, in the context of local political struggles. Yet natural resource management remains an arena of conflict: while certain stakeholders have benefited from soil and moisture conservation activities and the enclosure of commons, others — especially pastoralists and women — have faced high costs to their livelihoods.

The Status of Women in Subsistence Agriculture in the Garhwal Himalaya, India

The rural people of the Garhwal region are generally characterized as economically deprived. Their basic source of income is traditional agriculture on small terraced fields with low productivity. Animal husbandry is neither productive nor profitable yet excessive and uncontrolled grazing has led to large-scale soil erosion; the only economic benefit from livestock is the dung which provides fertilizer for agricultural fields. The daily requirements of the inhabitants for fuel, food, and fodder are a cause of great concern in any attempt to achieve or maintain sustainable development and a balanced ecosystem (Negi, 1992). In view of this, an integrated watershed management project has been developed in the Garhwal Himalaya to improve rural agriculture and, at the same time, to prevent overexploitation of the natural resources. A study was undertaken in the area south of the River Bhagirathi. Here, watersheds defined by natural boundaries in each drainage basin were designated as 'sub-watersheds' or 'mini-watersheds' and these units were used to classify information on the development of land, water, and plant resources to meet the subsistence needs of the hill farmers and farm women. The Henval, Hindolakhal, and Muni-Ki-Reti subwatersheds were selected for field study in the south Bhagirathi area in the Tehri Garhwal district. Within these, five mini-watersheds were selected: the Agar (about 280 ha) on the eastern banks of the Henval; the Lawa (336 ha) and Amani (358 ha) on the north and south banks of the Hindolakhal; and the Simswara (104 ha) and Byasi (575 ha) on the north and west banks of the Muni-KiReti.

AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE MAISSADE, HAITI, INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROJECT

An economic analysis was conducted of the Maissade Integrated Watershed Management Project in Haiti. This project, implemented by the Save the Children Federation, differs from conventional watershed management projects by investing heavily in the development of peasant organizations in order to gain voluntary and sustained adoption of soil conservation, forestry and community development innovations. Conventional projects have relied on monetary and commodity incentives in order to encourage technique adoption, and are widely viewed to have failed to achieve sustained watershed management. The goal of the economic analysis was to determine if a project representative of the new, participatory approach was economically efficient from donor and peasant perspectives. The aggregate project has a NPV of $336,600 at a 12% discount rate, a benefit-cost ratio of 1.5 and an economic rate of return of 19%. Analyzed separately, the hillside soil conservation component is economically efficient at the project level while the other components (forestry, ravine treatment and group investment) are not. Project value is most sensitive to changes in project outlay inputs and hillside treatment benefits. Both the aggregate project and all separate project components are economically efficient from the perspective of project participants, and all but the group investment component have internal rates of return exceeding 200%. Benefit-cost ratios vary from 2.5 to 30 for participation in the different project components. Investment in hillside soil conservation treatment yielded what was by far the greatest return. This analysis demonstrates that watershed management projects in Haiti which utilize peasant organization approaches can be economically efficient.

Farmers participation and socio-economic effects of a watershed management programme in Central Java (Solo river basin, Wiroko watershed)

A self-help watershed management project in the densely populated areas of Central Java, Indonesia, is discussed in terms of its achievements to combine activities to improve the physical, the social and the economic environment. Without simultaneous, well-planned action on these three essential components the project's improvements cannot be sustained by the farmers. It was found that activities such as tree planting and maintenance, construction of soil erosion control structures and training in agroforestry-type intensification techniques for land cultivation serve as a focus to induce farmers to participate. Participation can be sustained in spite of initial decreasing net income if increases in land productivity based on agroforestry practices together with appropriate training programmes organize and motivate the farmers. In future watershed management programmes more emphasis may be placed on the rural development planning aspects of e.g. agroforestry techniques, and on rural community organization.

Evaluation of implementation phase of rural development projects: A case study from Gujarat, India

For their successful implementation, rural development projects need sufficient care with regard to the various organisational options at a fairly early stage in the project cycle. In particular, when there is no previous experience in handling a project—such as a watershed management project requiring a multidisciplinary team for its implementation—a great deal of planning is called for in assembling the team. It is also necessary to spell out the various tasks assigned to each member of the team and to fill key positions with adequately skilled persons. Furthermore, at the higher executive levels, what is critically needed is a reactive capacity to meet unexpected problems and take unplanned action. In addition, the principle of management-by-exception is much more valid in the implementation of rural projects, since critical linkages with external agencies are not always easily made and support from internal staff belonging to various disciplines is not often readily forthcoming. In these circumstances, the chief manager has to look to those areas which are deviating from the normal—or desired—course and take timely and corrective managerial action.