Efforts have long been made in India to improve the management of major watersheds for ecological reasons - such as reducing the siltation of reservoirs. The management of micro-watersheds (of around 500 hectares) is a more recent focus of policy and has both ecology and livelihoods as itsobjectives. Experiments have shown that, in some areas, more than a doubling of resource productivity can be achieved by careful rehablitation. Many watersheds contain both private and common land. It is already clear from a number a efforts led by NGOs that, to be equitable and institutionally sustainable, the rehabilitation of both common and private lands needs action rooted in strong resource user-groups capable of taking decisions ina participatory way and resolving conflict. To build up groups in this way requires both time and skills, both of which have proved elusive in government projects and programmes. The key question addressed in this book is how far the approaches developed by NGOs can be adopted (or adapted) by the public sector and applied on a wide scale,for, without such approaches, neither the ecological nor the livelihood benefits of watershed rehabilitation will be achieved.

First Published in 2003. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

On the occasion of the International Year of Mountains-2002, FAO and its partners undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends of integrated and participatory watershed management. The overall objectives were to promote the exchange and dissemination of experiences in implementing watershed management projects in the decade from 1990 to 2000 and to identify the vision for a new generation of watershed management programmes and projects. This resource book represents a summary and critical analysis of the rich discussions and vast materials that emerged during the review, as well as the review's findings and recommendations. It presents the state of the art in watershed management, promotes further reflection and creative thinking and proposes new ideas and approaches for future watershed management programmes and projects. This publication has been written primarily for field-level watershed management practitioners and local decision-makers involved in watershed management at the district or municipality level. It will also be a useful source of information for other readers such as senior officers and consultants specialized in other areas, evaluators, policy-makers and students of watershed management

Since 1995, Danish International Development Assistance Has Been Organising International Workshops On Watershed Development Every Alternate Year. During The Course Of This Workshop, Numerous Papers, Including A Variety Of Case Studies, Were Presented. This Publication Is A Comprehensive Compilation Of All The Papers Presented At The Workshop, Along With The Group Reports And Task Force Recommendations.

This book analyses the empowerment process of the Bhil as a result of the implementation of the watershed project in Jhabua. This visionary project, planned and implemented by the Bhil community, has put in place an integrated strategy that has given them control over their livelihood. It is examined against the backdrop of a framework that links three important aspects-biophysical (resource management and ecological balance), socio-economic (productivity, agricultural growth and livelihood support) and institutional (sustainable resource use, equity and benefit-cost sharing); and their complex interactions.

This volume provides a broad perspective of the water scenario in India by examining the various developments in the sector and the emerging alternative paradigms. It points out the inadequacies of the existing legal frameworks and institutional mechanisms to manage water efficiently.

This book assesses the validity of 'anti-politics' critiques of development, first popularised by James Ferguson, in the peculiar context of India. It examines the extent to which it is possible to keep politics out of a highly technocratic state watershed development programme that also seeks to be participatory.

Water is one of the most essential element for the survival of living beings. With the increase in demand and decreasing quality and quantity, water has become one of the major issues and problems in the world today. It is unevenly distributed geographically and temporally, resulting in surpluses for some people and a threat for others. This book covers topics on scientific aspects, governance, and best management practices. The book shows that good governance, policies for effective conservation and public participation are important for water use. There are a lot of examples of best management practices all over the world ? for effective and efficient use of water, community-based programs in North America, Asia and Africa. The book provides two case studies.