Determinants for Diffusion of Mechanical Soil and Water Conservation Technologies: A Study of Watersheds in India

Abstract

The Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) and its Research Centres have developed many watersheds in the country and implemented large number of mechanical Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) technologies for sustainable management of them. Though many evaluation studies were conducted on these watershed projects in the past, assessment of diffusion of the SWC technologies has not been done yet. This research study was conducted during 2012-15, with the specific objective to measure the extent of diffusion of mechanical SWC technologies and also ascertain the factors responsible for their diffusion. Indices of diffusion of SWC technologies from 37 watersheds revealed that more than one-fourth (27.82%) of SWC technologies were diffused from farmers’ fields in watersheds. Technology-wise data revealed that 37.72% farmers diffused bunding, land leveling diffused from 24.73% farmers’ fields, check dam technology diffused from 12.98% farmers’ fields, recharge filter diffused from 9.4% farmers’ fields, terracing diffused from 9% farmers’ fields, gully plug diffused from 5.33% farmers’ fields, and pond technology diffused from 3.38% farmers’ fields of watersheds developed by IISWC and its Centres in the country. The important SWC technologies diffused from watersheds were bunding, land leveling, check dam, recharge filter, terracing, gully plug technology and water pond due to the reasons of reduction in runoff & soil loss, moisture conservation, ground water recharge, and increase in agricultural production.