This book analyses the empowerment process of the Bhil as a result of the implementation of the watershed project in Jhabua. This visionary project, planned and implemented by the Bhil community, has put in place an integrated strategy that has given them control over their livelihood. It is examined against the backdrop of a framework that links three important aspects-biophysical (resource management and ecological balance), socio-economic (productivity, agricultural growth and livelihood support) and institutional (sustainable resource use, equity and benefit-cost sharing); and their complex interactions.

On the occasion of the International Year of Mountains-2002, FAO and its partners undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends of integrated and participatory watershed management. The overall objectives were to promote the exchange and dissemination of experiences in implementing watershed management projects in the decade from 1990 to 2000 and to identify the vision for a new generation of watershed management programmes and projects. This resource book represents a summary and critical analysis of the rich discussions and vast materials that emerged during the review, as well as the review's findings and recommendations. It presents the state of the art in watershed management, promotes further reflection and creative thinking and proposes new ideas and approaches for future watershed management programmes and projects. This publication has been written primarily for field-level watershed management practitioners and local decision-makers involved in watershed management at the district or municipality level. It will also be a useful source of information for other readers such as senior officers and consultants specialized in other areas, evaluators, policy-makers and students of watershed management

This book provides a comprehensive presentation of the realization of improved rainfed agriculture yield in semi-arid and dry land areas. The incentive of watershed programs is to increase the return on investment with over 20% for 65% of the projects that are currently underperforming. Besides techniques to improve the livelihood of the many small-scale farmers in developing countries, it includes examples and case studies for further support. The methods discussed have recently shown to be successful and economically remunerative in India and in various African countries. Intended for professionals (investors, policy makers), researchers and (post) graduate students working on dry land and sustainable agriculture and water and natural resources management. Suited for courses in dry land agriculture, soil and water management and watershed development.

Rainfed agriculture is generally overlooked by development investors, researchers and policy makers due to limited confidence in its ability to increase agricultural production and development. However, research undertaken by a team of leading scientists from global organizations demonstrates its potential in achieving food security, improving livelihoods and most importantly addressing issues of equity and poverty reduction in dryland areas - the hot spots of poverty. On the basis of case studies from varied agricultural and ecological regions in Asia and Africa, chapters discuss the need for adopting new paradigms between rainfed and irrigated agriculture, catchment/micro-watershed management approaches, upgrades in science-based development and more investments in rainfed areas. Yield gaps for major rainfed crops are analysed globally and possible ways and means including technological, social, and institutional options to bridge the yield gaps are discussed in detail. Covering areas such as rainwater harvesting and its efficient use, the rehabilitation of degraded land and assessment methods for social, environmental and economic impacts, this book will be necessary for both academics and policy makers working in water management, agriculture and sustainable development.

Despite the recent economic crisis, mainland Southeast Asia continues to experience increasing economic integration of previously isolated rural hinterlands, especially in the upland areas of Lao PDR, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Yunnan in China, where demographic pressures together with the development of infrastructure and increased market-orientation of production combine to bring about significant economic and social change in rural areas. These changes have also led to significant environmental degradation such as deforestation, disturbance of water flows, and depletion of biodiversity resources. These and other related issues are addressed in this volume.

This book synthesizes the conceptual and applied aspects of rural livelihoods as a discipline, and collates the analytical frameworks and approaches that have been designed, applied, and discussed over the last five decades. These include the sustainable livelihoods approach with its vulnerability-asset construct, collective governance of common pool resources, livelihood trajectories and poverty dynamics, rights-based approach and social justice, graduation approach for the ultra-poor, and the resilience framework to address complex risks. The book is divided into three parts, namely: introduction to rural livelihoods; synthesis of the present state of knowledge; and strengthening the knowledge action pathway. At the end of each chapter, a set of class exercises is provided to bring about a deeper understanding of these approaches and their application in real-life situations. The expected outputs from penning this textbook are threefold. Firstly, it assimilates the rural livelihood works of eminent academicians under one cover. Secondly, it positions itself as a one-stop destination for educators by translating these concepts into a ready-to-teach applied format. Thirdly, it functions as a ready reckoner for young professionals by providing a step-by-step approach to apply these learnings in real-life situations. The purpose of this book is to provide a solid foundation to the teaching and learning of rural livelihoods in academia, bridge the gap between the science, policy, and practice of rural livelihoods, and finally shape a pool of better informed and equipped professionals in development. Special thanks to Himanshu Rohira for his contributions and assistance.

Sustainable participatory watershed management is an approach promoted by the Ethiopian government to restore natural resources and agricultural productivity across the country. This comparative study between six watershed programs shows that this approach increases farmers’ food security and incomes (around 50% on average), as well as their resilience to drought and other climate shocks. However, the study also confirms that the nature and scale of impact can vary significantly between watershed programs. The success of watershed management depends on multiple factors from the hydrological profile of the watershed to the local social and economic environment. Tailoring watershed interventions to the local context, associating conservation and livelihoods activities, and providing further financial and technical support to watershed committees are among the recommendations of this paper.

Development patterns, increasing population pressure, and the demand for better livelihoods in many parts of the globe all contribute to a steadily deepening global water crisis. Development redirects, consumes, and pollutes water. It also causes changes in the state of natural water reservoirs, directly by draining aquifers and indirectly by melting glaciers and the polar ice caps. Maintaining a sustainable relationship between water and development requires that current needs be balanced against the needs of future generations. The development community has transformed and broadened its approach to water since the 1980s. As stresses on the quality and availability of water have increased, donors have begun to move toward more comprehensive approaches that seek to integrate water into development in other sectors. This evaluation examines the full scope of the World Bank s lending and grant support for water activities. More than 30 background papers prepared for the evaluation have analyzed Bank lending by thematic area and by activity type. IDA and IBRD (the Bank) have supported countries in many water-related sectors. The evaluation, by definition, is retrospective, but it identifies changes that will be necessary going forward, including those related to strengthening institutions and increasing financial sustainability. Lessons and results from nearly 2,000 loans and credits, and work with 142 countries are identified.

Watershed management has gained momentum over the past decade as a holistic way of conserving water, land and biodiversity resources while sustaining livelihoods. Based on 12 projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this publication looks at both the strengths and weaknesses of the approach and highlights the need for stronger governance and long-term sustainability.

This book explores state-of-art techniques based on open-source software and statistical programming and modelling in modern geospatial applications, specifically focusing on recent trends in data mining techniques and robust modelling in Geomorphological, Hydrological, Bio-physical and Social activities. The book is organized into physical, mountainous, coastal, riverine, forest, urban and biological activities, with each chapter providing a review of the current knowledge in the focus area, and evaluating where future efforts should be directed. The text compiles a collection of recent developments and rigorous applications of Geospatial computational intelligence (e.g., artificial neural network, spatial interpolation, physical and environmental modelling and machine learning algorithms etc) in geomorphic processes from a team of expert contributors. The authors address the wide range of challenges and uncertainties in the study of earth system dynamics due to climate change, and complex anthropogenic interferences where spatial modelling may be applied in the risk assessment of vulnerable geomorphological landscapes. The book will act as a guide to find recent advancements in geospatial artificial intelligence techniques and its application to natural and social hazards. This information will be helpful for students, researchers, policy makers, environmentalists, planners involved in natural hazard and disaster management, NGOs, and government organizations.