Watershed management helps in conserving water, preventing soil erosion and enhancing the local biodiversity. Waterways play a crucial role in the geographical movement of different aquatic species. Distribution of seed and root (rhizome) fragments also takes place through the downstream flow. This process serves as a major dispersal mechanism for plant species. A rich biodiversity enables optimum soil and water conservation and sustains local communities.

Over the last 30 years, Development Alternatives has rejuvenated more than 25,000 hectares of land in Bundelkhand through its integrated soil and water conservation programmes. Construction of more than 150 water harvesting structures such as farm ponds, stop dams, gabion dams, check dams and loose boulders have helped increase groundwater levels in this drought prone region. Through scientific study and planning using the Geographical Information System (GIS), Development Alternatives identifies strategic areas that can be used to conserve and store rain water. This helps in narrowing down the planning process by pin-pointing the exact location where the water harvesting structure should be built so that the impact can be seen on a larger scale.

Along with scientific planning, community participation has been integral to our organisation’s watershed management approach. The watershed users are involved in planning, decision making and implementation of the programmes through participatory rural appraisals, community mobilisation and development of local institutions. It is ensured that the watershed committee has a representative from every section of the society in every village. Upon the formation of the committee, there are meetings wherein people discuss and plan watershed related activities to be undertaken in their villages. This collective decision making process promotes environmental regeneration and poverty alleviation in an equitable manner.

Backyard kitchen gardens are being promoted by the watershed committees to increase food and nutritional security of the rural communities. The watershed committees also empower local women’s self help groups by providing them loans for starting various income generation activities like goat rearing, poultry farming and vegetable cultivation.

The watershed development programme is unique in nature as it provides an opportunity to the local people to identify, analyse and make plans for local development. This in turn helps to build an ownership feeling which is a must to ensure sustainability of the programme.

According to Raj Pratap, Secretary of the Watershed Committee at Kamar Village in Datia district in Madhya Pradesh - "Watershed development in this area has helped increase productivity. This has helped the farmers to increase their income. They are seeing growth. Now, they have stopped migrating to cities. They work on the fields and earn their livelihood."

These watershed management programmes have helped prevent soil run-off, regenerate natural vegetation as well as harvest rainwater and recharge groundwater creating sustainable livelihoods for rural communities in Bundelkhand. q