Integrating Resource Conservation through Watershed Management in Uttaranchal Himalayas—Issues in Land Use Planning

摘要

The Indian Himalayas occupy an area of 53.7 Mha that constitutes 16.4% of the total geographical area (329 Mha) of the country. The region supports a large human population which draws heavily for various products from nearby forested areas and from degraded community forest areas for fodder, fire wood, timber, non-wood forest produce etc. Agriculture is primarily rainfed and water harvesting mechanisms occur in limited situations. Scientific land use and watershed development is an integral part of the strategy to develop rainfed agriculture which has tremendous potential in the Himalayas. Since hill agriculture is primarily rainfed, increasing crop productivity along with sustainable development and natural resource conservation are the major objectives of these programs. Evaluation of watersheds that were implemented through the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed areas (NWDPRA) was carried out in two Central Himalayan watersheds, by purposive sampling with single stage stratification. Data were analyzed using partial budgeting techniques. In both the locations crop diversification has taken place with new cash crops like peas, ginger, colocasia etc, which have been introduced through watershed interventions. The area under traditional crops like coarse millets has decreased. The irrigated area in Khootgad increased by 236% largely due to the construction of small water harvesting structures for storing surface runoff, while in Mohnagad the relative figure was 100%. Farmers in both the watershed have switched over to the cultivation of improved crop varieties although the use of chemical fertilizers is low and farmers continue to use organic manure for sustaining crop yields. Adoption of in-situ moisture conservation techniques coupled with increased crop production in both the watersheds has resulted in significant increase in crop yields, which range from 21% in potato at Mohnagad to 126% in case of wheat at Khootgad. The total agricultural production from the watershed increased by 41% in Khootgad and 135% in case of Mohnagad, the contribution being cereal crops in the former and cash crops in the latter. Fodder cultivation which was not practiced earlier became an important activity later on leading to sufficient fodder availability in the watersheds. Family income analysis reveals that agricultural sector is the dominant source contributing more than 50% in both the watersheds. Further the income distribution pattern reveals that agricultural income is more equitably distributed than off-farm income, indicating that watershed development has helped in reducing income disparity. However the distribution of benefits from the watershed program is highly dependent on watershed accessibility to various infrastructural facilities, extent of consolidated land holdings, homogeneity of social structure and farmers perception about the programme and number of innovative farmers. Watershed management in the Himalayan region has a vast potential to achieve self sufficiency, nutritional security, economic well being of small farmers along with environmental security. To realize the potential benefits to the extent possible many constraints expressed by planners, implementors and farmers need to be mitigated through technological advancements, increased accessibility and harmonizing existing policies.