Performance evaluation of watershed development programmes in different agro-ecological regions of India.

Abstract

Numerous watershed management projects have been undertaken in the recent past by various developmental agencies in different agro-climatic regions having diverse physiographic, climatic and socio-economic conditions. However, the impacts of various watershed interventions have not been objectively evaluated for comparison across the watersheds, states and regions due to lack of availability of appropriate indicators. In this paper, the authors have evolved a large number of useful indicators which have the potential to systematically and scientifically assess the impact of various intervention on bio-physical, socio-economic and sustainability attributes in the watershed management projects being executed across different regions of the country. The main objective of this paper is to sensitize the implementing agencies about the importance of collecting the relevant data during planning, implementation and maintenance phases of the watershed development projects to arrive at useful and logical conclusions and justify public investments. The use of appropriate indicators would also help in critically analysing the relative performance of watershed projects in terms of quantifiable benefits under identical agro-climatic settings as well as across different regions of the country. The results of some of the indicators, tested and evaluated under field conditions have also been presented.