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:  Ujjain

Sample: Narvar, Luniakhedi, Ranipipalya, Borkheda, Semalia-Nasar (Control Village)

Results and major findings

                      i.            Watershed Programme has made a considerable impact in terms of crop yield improvement, which has led to an increase in income and thus an improvement in standard of living. This difference was clearly visible on comparison with control village

                  ii.            The availability of water has greatly improved both for human beings and as well as for animals. There is a marked difference in the ground water table before and after the watershed Programme. It was also noted that in non-watershed village water table has been receding considerably as compared to watershed villages even in the backdrop of two years of low rainfall.

                iii.            The livelihood implications of the Programme are not far and wide.  It has to be more sustainable although it has to a large extent been able to provide employment opportunities to landless and there is parity in wage rate in of men and women.

                 iv.            The creation of village level institutions entrust substantive responsibility to the villagers so as to ensure location specific need based planning that balances the concerns of multiple interest groups within the village. The Programme has tried to ensure increased control of women over resources, but a lot has to be done for the proper functioning of WTCGs.

          v.     The continued efforts of watershed development has been able to reduce the dependency of farmers on rainfall and helped in improvement of status of Natural resources.