Objectives
 The Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP) is an integrated programme for rehabilitation of watersheds for the regeneration of natural resources. The programme is implemented by the Village Watershed Committees (VWC- a body nominated by villagers), in association with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). IGWDP which was operationalised in December 1992 under the bilateral aid agreement between the German and Indian Governments, was visualized and initiated in 1989 by Fr. Hermann Bacher of Social Centre, Ahmednagar, the guiding spirit behind the Programme.
The Programme is administered and managed by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) with the support of Government of Maharashtra.
The objectives of the Indo German Watershed Development are :
- To develop micro-watersheds in a comprehensive manner, so as to create adequate and sustainable livelihood opportunities for the inhabitants of that area.
- To catalyse to form village groups into mobilising their degraded environment through participatory self-help initiatives.
- To facilitate the arising and unfolding of a people’s movement for sustainable economic development along watershed lines.
Guiding principles
- Poverty can be alleviated and eradicated when people realize their creative potential, come together and organize themselves based on self-help and community objectives.
- Often a catalyst either from within the community or from outside e.g. a NGO, is required for such a transformation.
- A watershed is not just a naturally occurring hydrological unit. More importantly, it is the area of survival and base of sustenance of all those living within it. It, thus, becomes necessary to draw the inhabitants together, generate a common interest and foster a common purpose.
- Participatory and well-managed watershed development enhances the ecological resource base of a rural economy and creates sustainable livelihood opportunities for the watershed community.
- A participatory approach involving all concerned, i.e. the watershed community (village), NGOs and Technical Support Organizations, is necessary, as integrated watershed development involves a variety of skills, disciplines and competencies.
- To make an appreciable and lasting impact both on the incidence and the extent of poverty, a large scale effort involving the government, banks, agriculture universities must be made.
- The coming together of people’s initiative and supportive institutional and policy framework could create conditions favourable to the unfolding and establishment of a people’s movement for environmental regeneration on watershed basis.
Main strategies adopted under IGWDP:
- While a micro-watershed is identified by its physical characteristics, it is the peoples' commitment that decides for inclusion or otherwise in the programme. It is in effect a "self-selection" process.
- People are asked to demonstrate their willingness/eagerness to undertake the watershed project by visiting nearby watershed for experience / exposure and agreeing to contribute 4 days of shramdan (voluntary labour) initially without any support from the programme.
- Villagers agree to bring down the cattle population within the carrying capacity of the land, ban free grazing and tree felling and eschewing water intensive crops.
- A pilot project called Capacity Building Phase (CBP) - 50 to 100 ha - is taken up for treatment measures where the competence and willingness of the community / villagers and the ability of the NGO to mobilise and work with the villagers are put to acid test. This project lasts for 12 - 18 months period and affords the right opportunity for learning while doing. Technical skills required in soil and water management are demonstrated, practised and refined in the field itself.
- A peoples' organisation called "Village Watershed Committee" (VWC) with adequate representation of women is formed for planning, implementing and eventual maintenance of the treatment measures / structures. VWC is responsible to Gram Sabha or entire village community.
- Village community is asked to partner the process of watershed development through it's contribution of one-day-a-week free labour contribution (shramdan of nearly 16% of project measures). Of course, as an incentive for it's participation, the programme envisages ploughing back 50% of free labour contribution to the maintenance funds of VWC.
- The treatment measures follow a "ridge to valley approach". The "net-planning" approach adopted demands survey of each of the plots in the watershed and suggests appropriate technical measures for conservation and improvement in consultation with the farmer and his family.
- Efforts are made to encourage VWC to think of ways and means to involve the landless in project activities and design appropriate systems of benefits arising from common property resources.
- The women in the community, besides being represented in the VWC, are encouraged to form SHGs and undertake project related activities like raising a nursery, kitchen gardens, in addition to inculcating the habit of thrift and funds management / rotation of funds amongst themselves. Besides, women promotion/development activities are undertaken from a "Women's development Fund" set up by earmarking 5% of project measures.
- The village community and NGO are allowed to implement the full scale watershed project only on successful completion of Capacity Building Phase (CBP) of the project. This strategy has to a large extent eliminated the incidence of failure at a later stage.
- The village community in association with NGO manages the entire fund meant for project measures. The management costs of NGOs are funded separately.
- A maintenance fund is created out of peoples' contribution, ploughing back 50% of voluntary labour and also an end-of - the- project incentive for future repairs and maintenance of structures.
- The village community is made aware of the exit requirements of NGO towards the later part of the project to allow the equipped VWC to take charge of maintenance, development and possibilities.
Partners and their roles
- The Gram Sabha, the body representing the entire village, accepts and ratifies the project.
- The VWC plans, implements and supervises the project.
- The NGO motivates and mobilizes the watershed communities and plays the role of facilitator and guide to the VWC during the project period.
- Concerned Government Departments, Technical Support Organisations and Agricultural Universities provide extension support during the implementation process as and when sought for.
- NABARD and WOTR give technical training and managerial support, besides monitoring the programme.
- The German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and German Development Bank (KfW) provide financial assistance to the Capacity Building Phase (CBP) and Full Implementation Phase (FIP) of Indo-German Watershed Development Programme through the GoI, NABARD and WOTR.
- The Programme Coordination Unit with representation from NABARD and WOTR coordinates the implementation of the programme.
Structure of the programme
The Programme consists of two Phases :
 Capacity Building Phase (CBP):
This phase is administered by WOTR wherein village communities and NGOs prepare, plan, implement and supervise watershed projects, but who may not have the necessary skills and capabilities. It enables village communities and NGOs to acquire the necessary skills and competency and qualify for inclusion in Full Implementation Phase.
Full Implementation Phase (FIP):
After successful completion of CBP, the project enters FIP which is the main phase administered by NABARD in association with support organizations like WOTR and other NGOs.
Women promotion/ gender integration
For gender mainstreaming and empowerment of women, women are involved at every stage of the project. The VWC has atleast 30% representation by women. Further, there is a special provision of Women's Development Fund under the programme by earmarking 5% of project funds for forming Self Help Groups and promoting savings and lending activities, for taking up 'Social Development' and 'Income generating activities'. A trained Lady Social Worker is Employed to address women related issues. The activities which have been taken up by women out of this fund so far include:
- drinking water schemes,
- drainage repair,
- soak pits,
- kitchen gardens,
- Community halls,
- flour mill on group basis,
- dairy, poultry, stall fed goat rearing,
- health camps,
- exposure visits
A study recently conducted suggests that this component of the programme has enabled the women to enter the mainstream of society and place themselves in a position of decision making capability.
Impact of the programme
The feedback from regular monitoring by NABARD and the three project evaluation studies conducted, highlight the impact of IGWDP as under:
- Drinking water scarcity in the villages has been overcome.
- Significant improvement in local employment generation. The villages which used to experience off-season migration, now report minimum migration. Even many families who have migrated earlier, returned to the villages.
- Increased number of wells have perennial water and a rise in the water levels of almost all wells in the watershed observed.
- Increase in agricultural production due to:
- Increase in rabi and summer crop area
- Adoption of better varieties of crops
- Improvement in yield of crops
- Increased area under irrigation
- Diversification of cropping (e.g. to horticulture) and,
- Additional area, which was so far waste land, brought under cultivation
- Improvement in the condition of the landless due to continuous wage availability during project implementation in their village itself and through increased agricultural activity in post-project period.
- Taking up of dairy activity,through out the year through adoption of cross bred/ improved cows due to availability of higher quantum of grass.
- The demand for credit had gone up significantly and dependence on money lenders reduced due to self help group activity.
- With strong community involvement, loan repayments have improved.
- There are secondary effects like visible improvements in housing and jump in school attendance.
Sustainability and post-watershed development:
For sustaining the impact of the watershed and maintaining the assets created under the project after the project implementation is complete, there is a provision for Maintenance Fund which is built by ploughing back 50% of contributed Shramdan (voluntary labour) rendered by villagers as well as collection from the village community. In post watershed development period, VWCs are contributing in several ways for maintenance of structures, establishing linkages with extension and credit agencies, etc. The VWC of one of our projects, Bhoyare Khurd, has gained enough experience and confidence by implementing one project to function as facilitator in place of NGO for another nearby project.
Major learnings under IGWDP:
- People's participation is an essential component of watershed development. With commitment and conviction, people can discipline themselves for their betterment.
- Villagers need to contribute their stake/share(voluntary labour etc.) and feel the ownership of the project.
- Creating people's organisations like VWC for planning, implementing and maintenance is a must for success and sustainability.
- Having a pilot phase for proof testing the abilities and motivation of community and NGO during the CBP phase insures against most of future chances of failure.
- Women and landless need to be integrated into the project design appropriately.
- Technical considerations and skills for soil and water management, based on "ridge-to-valley" principle can be understood by villagers through learning-by-doing, demonstration/exposure visits, etc.
- The village community should manage the funds for project measures through the VWC for total transparency and cost effectiveness. However, timely availability of funds in adequate measure in advance is a critical requirement for watershed projects
- The Indo German Watershed Development programme which made its humble beginning in early nineties with a couple of projects has now reached a stage of more than 122 projects in Maharashtra state. In view of the successful experience, KfW has approved Euro 19.94 million for Phase III of the programme in Maharashtra.
|
