ABSTRACT
The rainfed areas of India constitute about half of the net sown area, contribute 40–45% to food production, and are home to 61% of the country’s farmer population. But they suffer from a plethora of problems, such as erratic rainfall, water scarcity, severe soil erosion, mono-cropping, land degradation, limited access to credit and inputs, and socio-economic issues. All this is exacerbated by climate change.
A watershed approach offers a comprehensive solution to address these problems. NABARD, in collaboration with the WOTR, pioneered a participatory community-led model of watershed development in 1992–1993 under the aegis of the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP) supported by the KfW and the GTZ. A ‘ridge-to-valley’ approach, the strong catalytic role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community ownership with the active involvement of the watershed community, including women, are the cardinal principles of the programme. Based on its success, the Government of India set up a Watershed Development Fund at NABARD in 1999-2000 for the highly vulnerable rainfed areas of the country. The programme left its footprint on mainstream Indian government watershed development and integrated measures to address climate-induced vulnerabilities. Lessons were drawn from the KfW-assisted soil programme, scientific advances in productivity enhancement measures, ecological issues, and farmers’ income concerns.
NABARD’s watershed development programmes have had a significant effect on enhancing agricultural productivity, conserving natural resources, and improving livelihoods in rainfed areas across India. Impact studies have reported increased water availability, improved crop yields, livelihood diversification, ecological restoration, community empowerment, and financial inclusion. Overall, NABARD’s watershed programmes have not only enhanced agricultural productivity and water management but also contributed to sustainable livelihoods, ecological restoration, and community resilience in rainfed areas across the country. In this chapter, we outline the progression of watershed development programmes supported by NABARD to a community-led climate change adaptation programme for rainfed areas, its experience so far, and the way forward.
