EVALUATION


Evaluation of Watershed Development Projects under Rajiv Gandhi Mission for Watershed Management

Agency: Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal

Duration: 15 ^th October, 2001 to 21 ^st December, 2001

Area:  Shahdol

Sample: Ghorve I, Ghorve II, Mehrauri, Naugain

Results and major findings 

                    i.      The project had large scale and perceptible ecological impacts. The area under forest increased noticeably as did the area under cultivation. Also some of this can be attributed to the population pressure but the role of the Programme in achieving this can be understood from the fact that a lot of area has been converted from un-irrigated to irrigated. Analysis of the land use pattern before and after implementation of watershed revealed that an additional area of 171 hectares (i.e., cultivable waste degraded land) was brought under cultivation. This means that a net change of about 21.6 percent in the cultivated area was brought about due to the implementation of Watershed Management Project in the area.  

                  ii.      With investments made on soil and water conservation measures, supplemental irrigation through surface water, storage and water harvesting structures, for storing excess rainwater was made available to the farmers in the area. Thus, 13.35 percent of the cultivated area came under irrigation as against 2.4 percent before, as a result of the implementation of the project in the area.  

                iii.      Besides, the general water table has risen between 3 feet to 1.5 feet.  This was an important indicator of the ecological well being of the region. 

                 iv.      A comparison of the cropping pattern before and after implementation of watershed indicated that there was a trend towards commercialization of agriculture. The extent of such commercialization was however only marginal. This was because of the fact that most of the farmers were wary of trying new crops because of the risk involved in the proposition. But with the passage of time it was expected that the farmers would adopt new HYV seeds of traditional crops such as paddy and also new crops such as wheat and arhar. 

                 vi.      There was a general increase in the yield rates realized by the sample households after implementation of watershed in case of high yielding varieties of paddy, and also the traditional variety of paddy. The increase ranged between three to five quintals per hectare.  

               vii.      The sample households in case of high yielding varieties of paddy and also the traditional variety of paddy realized an increase in production. Thus the implementation of watershed development Programme in the area has not only enabled the farmers to enhance their crop productivity but also helped to realize higher crop output. This is because of the fact that the overall soil quality and moisture availability had increased over the project period. 

             viii.      After implementation of the watershed Programme, the economic profile of the village changed as a result of increased income from traditional livelihood sources and also the availability of newer livelihood options.