The guidelines for watershed development component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) have been updated recently. The new guidelines have a new focus area on Springshed Development as part of Watershed Development.
About Watershed
- Watershed is a geo-hydrological unit draining to a common point by a system of drains.
- Watershed development refers to the conservation, regeneration and the judicious use of all the natural resources particularly land, water, vegetation and animals and human development within the watershed.
Importance of Watershed Development
- Large area dependent of rains: Dryland area accounts for 51% of net sown area, 40% of total food production. Soil quality is poor, irrigation not available, only one crop is sown that is dependent on monsoons.
- Dryland areas are poorly endowed with natural resources. Agricultural yields in dryland areas is low as compared to irrigated lands. Crop failures leading to distress among the farming sector is often seen here.
- Average size of land holdings is small and often do not have monetary resources to invest in inputs to increase productivity of agriculture.
- Poor socio-economic status: These areas have high incidence of poverty, malnutrition, low level of education, poor access to public goods and land degradation.
- Prone to disasters: Dryland areas are prone to droughts, which reduces their resilience. Climate change is expected to increase the vagaries of this region.
Steps for Watershed Development
- Watershed development programs have been taken by up by government:
- Integrated Watershed Management Program (IWMP)
- Participatory Watershed Development Program launched in 1994.
- Constitution of National Rainfed Area Authority as an expert body to make agriculture economically viable in rainfed areas.
Benefits of Watershed development
Economic benefits:
- Security agriculture production and income in the face of climate change and drought risks.
- Diversification of crop systems and animal husbandry.
- Efficient water harvesting and retention of rainwater in soil.
- Improving access to water resources on equitable basis.
- Optimal, integrated, sustainable and efficient use of natural resources.
- Recognising stake of non-land holding members
- Promoting alternative livelihood opportunities, Secondary agriculture, value addition etc.
- Access to credit and market linkages, promotion of FPOs & MSMES & SHGs.
Ecological Restoration:
- Ridge to valley approach would result in soil and water conservation improving soil organic carbon.
- Increase in green cover and higher moisture in soil. Forests on upper reaches
- Sustained community action of natural resources (Soil, groundwater etc) by building of community organisations like User Groups
- Supporting user groups with regulatory norms institutionalised through panchayats.
- Promotion of simple and accessible technologies based on local knowledge.
- Water budget-based crop planning, crop alignment and diversification in favour of less water consuming crops.
- Systems of monitoring health of natural resources such as soil, groundwater etc.
- Members of user groups and panchayats to be trained to maintain and monitor all natural resources.
Socio-economic benefits:
- Landless, poor and women to find a place in watershed committee. They would be active members of FPO, SHGs, User Groups etc.
- Investment to improve conditions of poorer sections, SC/ST community and women.
- Access to community assets will improve condition marginal and landless
- Alternative livelihood opportunities to help landless people.
Spring shed Development
About Spring shed
- In the mountain regions, groundwater naturally discharges in the form of springs, which occur where a water bearing layer (perched aquifer) intersects with a hill slope and groundwater seeps.
- Spring shed is the unit of land where rain falls (recharge area) and then emerges at discharge points of the spring. It is the natural unit for revival and management of springs.
Need for focus on Spring shed Development
- Traditionally, only dryland regions have been treated as rainfed. This results in exclusion of other categories of rainfed regions like high rainfall regions, mountainous tracts and cold deserts.
- Himalayan, North-East, Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and other hilly areas of states have benefitting from perennial water sources fed by springs. These springsheds have suffered ecological degradation, leading to drying up of almost 50% of estimated 4-5 million springs.
- Especially important source of water for tribal communities.
Reasons for drying of springsheds development:
- Indiscreet use of springsheds.
- Abuse of upper reaches
- Adverse impact on aquifer zones and corresponding recharge zones that feed these springs
- Erratic rainfall pattern
- Seismic activity
- Ecological degradation
- Lack of relevant data for springshed.
Interventions for Springshed Development
- Needs assessment: Identifying needs and willingness of community is the first step in the springshed management projects. Participatory resource assessment be involving local especially females can be undertaken.
- Spring inventory: It is the mapping and collation of basic information on a set of springs of interest in a geographical area.
- Data monitoring: GIS Mapping and database of springs. Use of satellites can also be undertaken.
- Community mobilisation, livelihood creation and capacity building
- Hydrogeological assessments and recharge interventions
- Funding sources and convergence: A whole of government approach can be undertaken with funding to be used from various schemes for rural development such as MGNREGA, FC XV grants etc.
- Identification of springs within the area of watershed.
- Identification & delineation of catchment area along the spring
- Identification of aquifer zone contributing towards perennial flow in spring
- Springshed recharge works:
- Recharge area should be free from waste disposal and defecation.
- No application of chemicals (fertilisers, pesticides) in the recharge area or near the spring. Need to replace these with eco-friendly methods like composting and integrated pest management.
- No cutting of trees in the demarcated 'protection and recharge area'.
- Management should catalyse community action.
- Community contribution for springshed works.
- All castes and groups of different socio-economic status should participate, women's participation should be encouraged.
- Springshed management should integrate formal and people's knowledge.