Theme 6-4-Sustainable integrated watershed management and the community efforts for the same in the north eastern region of India.

Abstract

Watershed management in the past was mainly meant for soil conservation and was highly government driven. Now it is synonymous with poverty alleviation and encompasses human as well as natural resources management, the first focus being on the former. Sustainable integrated watershed management is tried to be achieved through participatory processes as it satisfies democratic requirements and prevents adverse impacts of bureaucratic and elite-dominated development on disempowered actors. The approaches which may result into people’s participation in management include indigenous, traditional and facilitated efforts or a combination of these. Empowering users and institutionalising important ownership of resources, programmes and processes of watershed management are very important key elements in the participatory processes. Lack of vision and mission on the part of all the implementing agencies including participants is a serious constraint to the progress in this respect. A change in attitudes among all concerned is therefore called for. Some good models developed in the past as well as in recent times adopting various approaches are notable and worth emulating. The tribals of the North Eastern Region of India devised some watershed management systems through indigenous approaches and community efforts which have stood the test of time, have proved to be sustainable and are excellent examples of their skills and ingenuity.