Recharging the Watershed

Increasing pressure on land for agricultural and non-agricultural uses has accelerated soil erosion and excessive land degradation, resulting in large areas transforming into wastelands. The unprotected non-forestlands have suffered the maximum degradation mainly due to the tremendous biotic pressure on it. In the last 50 years it is India’s lush green village forests and woodlands that have been deforested to the maximum.

The best way to protect the vital natural resources is to understand and manage them on a watershed basis. Everything that is done in a watershed affects the local eco-system. Development of wastelands, mainly in non-forest areas, can check land degradation, putting such wastelands of the country to sustainable use and increasing biomas availability especially that of fuel wood, fodder, fruits, fibre and small timber.

Healthy watersheds are vital for a healthy environment and economy. Our watersheds provide water for drinking, irrigation and industry. Wildlife also needs healthy watersheds for food and shelter.

Watershed management means managing water and other natural resources in an effective and efficient way to sustain the local economy and environment health.

The New Holistic Approach

In order to bring about broad-based conceptualization and integration of all area development programmes, it has been decided to integrate the related schemes within the Ministry of Rural Development for strong synergy and coordination among the programmes of IWDP, DPAP and DDP. For integrated planning, sustainable outcomes, and clear conceptualization of livelihoods for rural communities, a revised concept with the title ‘Integrated Watershed Management Programme’ has been conceived of. The new approach to watershed development provides a paradigm shift in the traditional approach where the role of the government is changed from that of governance to facilitation. It envisages a bottom-up approach whereby the users’ group themselves decide their work programme.

The basic objective of this scheme is integrated wastelands development based on village/micro watershed plans. The Government of India is taking up this task by revitalising and reviving village-level institutions and enlisting people’s participation.

• The scheme provides for the development of clusters of micro watersheds in a holistic manner than piecemeal treatment in sporadic patches.
• There is decentralization of decision-making process by involving local Panchayati Raj institutions, NGOs, government departments and the watershed community at the grassroots level. The people are given actual decision-making powers in terms of project implementation and fund disbursal.
• A three-tier approach address hilly/forest regions, intermediate tier of slopes and lastly, plains and flat areas.
• The scheme promotes locally available low cost technology.
• The scheme also aims at creating rural employment opportunities.
  

The Institute of Rural Development, Meghalaya being the apex level body for imparting training have taken special interest to formulate training modules for training to different clientel on IWDP. Some of the training programmes under IWDP were as follows:

1. Capacity Building for effective Management.
2. Planning and Implementation for better impact.
3. Community Mobilization.
4. People’s Participation.
5. Livelihood support.
6. Soil Moisture and Conservation.
7. Participatory Rural Appraisal.
8. Water Harvesting and Conservation.
9. Land-use and Plantation.
10. Monitoring and Evaluation.