The role of local institutions in sustainable watershed management: lessons from India

Abstract

The implementation and effective management of watershed-development projects is recognised as a strategy for rural development throughout the developing world. Several government and non-government agencies have launched watershed-development projects to tackle the challenges of soil conservation, improving land productivity, and economic upliftment of the rural poor for efficient use of natural resources. Participatory community-driven institutions of integrated watershed management are considered vital for the sustainability of natural resources. This study focuses on the impact of local institutions on watershed development in India and examines the degree of women's participation in relation to the effective management of natural resources and sustainable development.Le rôle des institutions locales dans la gestion durable des bassins versants : enseignements de l'Inde La mise en oeuvre et la gestion efficace des projets d'aménagement des bassins versants sont reconnues comme constituant une stratégie de développement rural dans l'ensemble des pays en développement. Plusieurs agences gouvernementales et non gouvernementales ont lancé des projets de développement des bassins versants pour tenter de relever les défis que sont la conservation des sols, l'amélioration de la productivité des terres et l'amélioration de la situation économique des pauvres des zones rurales afin d'assurer une utilisation efficace des ressources naturelles. Les institutions participatives et impulsées par la communauté se consacrant à la gestion intégrée des bassins versants sont considérées comme essentielles pour la durabilité des ressources naturelles. Cette étude se concentre sur l'impact des institutions locales sur l'aménagement des bassins versants en Inde et examine le degré de participation des femmes en ce qui concerne la gestion efficace des ressources naturelles et le développement durable. O papel das instituições locais na gestão sustentável de bacias hidrográficas: lições da ÍndiaA implementação e gestão efetiva de projetos de desenvolvimento de bacias hidrográficas são reconhecidas como uma estratégia para o desenvolvimento rural nos países em desenvolvimento em geral. Diversas agências governamentais e não-governamentais têm lançado projetos de desenvolvimento de bacias hidrográficas para combater os desafios da conservação do solo, melhorando a produtividade da terra e a ascensão econômica das pessoas pobres que vivem na zona rural para o uso eficiente de recursos naturais. Instituições comunitárias participativas de gestão integrada de bacias hidrográficas são consideradas vitais para a sustentabilidade dos recursos naturais. Este estudo focaliza o impacto de instituições locais no desenvolvimento de bacias hidrográficas na Índia e examina o grau de participação das mulheres em relação à gestão efetiva de recursos naturais e desenvolvimento sustentável.El rol de las instituciones locales en la administración sustentable de cuencas de agua: lecciones de India La ejecución y administración eficiente de proyectos de ...

Inclusive Participation in Integrated Watershed Development Programmes: Insights from Bundelkhand, Central India

“…There were also two groups of SCs 7 in Parasai; one of these groups has closer ties to the gadhiwale Yadav community and has greater access to resources. The observed processes of local political negotiations, social inclusion and social exclusion in the integrated watershed management projects reflect similar findings elsewhere in India (Adolph & Turton, 1998;Dash et al, 2011;Kale, 2011;Kumar & Kumar, 2022).…”

Gender Matters: Reappraising the Issues of Equity, Participation and Ownership in Watershed Management

“…Further, it is a lot to do with the value system persistence in Indian society. Studies (Chadha & Kapoor, 2000; Dash et al, 2011) uphold the traditional belief of caste and gender, as per which, caste and gender have a very sharp division of labour and workspace. The domestic domain is for women while the outer sphere is the responsibility of men.…”

Institutional Functionality in Participatory Integrated Watershed Development of Tana Sub-Basin, Ethiopia

“…Research and practical experiences demonstrate that strong local level institutions at the grass roots level are crucial for successful watershed management [21,22]. Watershed management requires coordination, comprehensive efforts, and a more direct involvement of local communities, government and non-governmental institutions, and other stakeholders.…”

“…In the new institutional economics, institutions are viewed as durable rules which govern human interactions, and which are also 'humanly devised' [23]. Strong village-level institutions are a prerequisite for successful watershed management [21,24,25]. Based on the foundations of new institutional economics, Pagan [26] has identified five key characteristics, which are clarity of objectives, effective interactions, adaptiveness, appropriateness of scale, and compliance to the rule that (may be) required and observed in effective institutions.…”