Mid-Term Impact Assessment of

Watershed Projects

Ambuja Cement Foundation

SRTT & NABARD

Watershed Management
Putting in a place systems that ensures land resources are

Conserved

Preserved

Exploited
Sustainably

It involves reducing soil erosion,

promoting vegetative cover, and harnessing rainwater resource

Watershed
Management

Technical
Perspectiv
e
Social Perspective

Watershed management is a continuous and participatory

process that involves people and aims to improve their
livelihoods.

Watershed Areas
Location - Solan district, HP
Both are Rain-fed areas.
Dhundhan watershed - NABARD
Geographic features

Contd..
Kashlog Watershed - SRTT
Geography

The Delicate Balance Disturbed

Monsoon
failures

TRIGGER

Contracting out
cutting of forest
in regular
intervals

Afforestation
with Pine trees

Fodder

Soil erosion

Objective
Assessment of effects of watershed on the four factors.

Methodology
View of villagers about the project and the change it has
brought in their lives.
FGD
Semi-structured interviews with villagers
Attending meetings (SHGs, WDC)
Interviews with service providers (PIA, School)

Qualitative

Case Studies

Quantitative

Project Interventions
Institution Building

Bio-Physical Intervention
Soil and Water Conservation: Ridge-to-Valley
Staggered Trenches
Excavation of ground along a uniform level across the slope of
the land.
Trenches decrease the length of slope into smaller sections
which slow the rate of run-off and stops soil erosion.

Water
percolation

Reduction in
run-off
Soil erosion

Increase Vegetation
Fodder
Plantation

Trenches
Land
Private land
Pasture Land
Cultivable land
Forest Land

Impact of trenches
Increased water availability in the area.
Springs and Baudis (Step-well) recharge
Quantity of discharge

Period of water availability

Fodder Availability
Before Winter season cutting of fodder done from pasture
lands.
Used up till march but now it is consumed till July.
Earlier 40 and now 60 ghatas
Earlier due to lack of fodder livestock sold.

Fodder Increase
Difference in one year

Contd..
Napier Grass roots were given by the PIA for pasture
lands.
High growth

Firmly hold soil reduces soil erosion

The Napier grass roots have held the soil, the growth has not yet
come .

LSCD and Gabion structures

A series of check-dams reduces the velocity of runoff leading to sediment storage and moisture
recharge.
They also provide check on gully formations and
control it
The places were run-off is very high a series of
gabion structures have been constructed.

Boulders and stones from

village itself. Cheap and
maintenance easy.

Reduction in Soil
erosion
Silt Deposition

Water Retention

Farm field Bunds

It consists of constructing a narrow embankment on
contours to impound run-off water.
Water retention
on the field

Reduces topsoil erosion

45% of the farms have been bunded.

Manures and
fertilizers dont
wash away

Contd..
Wastage of land
Farm field bunds are used for growing Napier grass on it.
Protects the bund from erosion.
Fodder.

Permanent Check-dam
Natural springs are the main source of water for villagers.
In some springs the discharge is very high during the
monsoon season.
It results in high degree of soil erosion, formation of
gullies and destruction of vegetation.
This water couldnt be used for any purpose as it drains
out in the outlet carrying with it soil and silt.
To get benefits out of this heavy discharge, construction
of permanent check dams had been planned

The heavy discharge of water

can be stored and used in
summers

Structures

Planned
Number
(Proposed)

Completed

LSCD

157

157

Gabion

160

206

Permanent CD

Ridge to Valley

Water Harvesting
Harvesting
Tank Construction

Humans

Livestoc
k

Two approaches used

Pipeline connected directly from spring to tank.
Check-dam constructed and then pipeline to the tanks.

Impact
Watershed

Number of
Tanks

Capacities
(Litres)

Irrigated land

Dhundhan

1.26 Lakh

400 Bighas

Kashlog

1.50 Lakh

450 Bighas

Impact on Agriculture
As Rain-fed areas - Villagers had left rice cultivation - bad monsoons
The sowing time and crop yield were uncertain as monsoon dependent

Management of Water
Accessibility

Equity

Water for irrigation is depends on land owned and crop

sown.
Villagers with more land require more water.
A policy of rotation has been maintained.
Villagers connect pipes to the outlet of the tank and direct it
to their farms.
Villagers having less land gets higher priority in list when
rotation is decided.

Agriculture and Allied activities

Agro-Forestry

Increase the green cover

To protect the soil from erosion
Mulberry saplings - 2000 /10000 from the banks
Plan - Amla and Daddu 20000 Beaus, Bamboo and Bareda -10000

Agro-Horticulture
To diversify the income earning opportunity
3500 saplings of mango, lemon, guava, pomegranate,
orange and Jack-fruit.
Survival rate has been 60%.
Fruits yet to yield.

Agriculture

Self-sustenance as fragmented land

and rain-fed. Maize and Ginger
Cash crop - Tomatoes

Broken the back of farmers

Lost interest in farming, grow
grass for livestock
Skeptical in putting much
investment and efforts.

Village Institutions
Participatory Approach
Ownership transferred
Community Participation
Community
Assets

Shramdaan
(Unskilled
Labor)

Contribution
16%

Labor charges paid proportional to work

On average Rs.150-180

Contd...
Watershed
VillageDevelopment
DevelopmentCommittee
Committee

PIA

Contd
Farmers Club

Common interest
group, user group.
Registered society.
Information
dissemination,
knowledge sharing and
common demand for
some work by WDC.
Feeling of a group,
working together for
common good.

VDC

Every villager is the

member of VDC.
The decision on any
work to be done by
common consensus.
One member
represents them in
WDC
Contribution is
collected at this level.

PIA

WDC

Apex body

Representation of women and SC community without reservation.

Resource allocation w.r.t. needs and village representatives proposal.

Accountability maintained as all transaction through cheques.
Regular Elections for the posts of President, the secretary and
the cashier.
Sustainability possible as process is institutionalized, as no individual
control.

Non Grazing rules (WDC)

Stunted growth of vegetation
Loosing of top-soil due to the hoofs of livestock.
25-50% rule broken, especially by small landholders

Self Help Group (Women)

Contd..

Self-Confidence.
Increased Knowledge.
Signing on documents.
Family respect and support.
100% Recovery rate.
Platform of sharing and bonding
Route for other agencies NABARD (Doodh Ganga)
Watershed

No. of Women SHGs

Dhundhan

30

Kashlog

Exposure and Capacity building

NDRI

Case-Studies Livelihood options

Mushroom Cultivation
Snehalataji 40 year farmer
Button and Dinghri
Mushroom
10000 ,Group Loan from
bank through SHG.
1st year 100 bags Profit
21000

Poly-Houses
Madanji 45 year old
farmer Carnation flowers
Loan of 6.5 lakh.
Subsidy 1.5 lakh from
Horticulture Department.
Flowers marketed in Delhi
3 years Revenue 10 Lakh

Recommendations

Sub-group of SHGs

Age group 13 -16

Children of members
Fixed money collected
under the aegis of parent
group

Sustainability

Village Training Committees

Selected Villagers Send for training

Accessibility

Fund
utilization

Nursery
Nursery plantation on group basis.
Group Loans
Reduces risk
Requirement of saplings fulfilled for PIA

SHGs livelihood opportunity

PIA should develop B-plan for each product and provide
marketing channels.
Crop

Products

Tomatoes

Jams, Sauces

Mangoes

Pickles

Local Pomegranate

Chutney Mix

Amla

Amla Juice, Pickle, Murraba

Maize

Corn flakes

Chips Transportation cost less and raw material available so

price and quality competition.

Contd..
Back Yard Poultry

Eggs and chicken from poultry farms.

Electricity at low cost.
Investment less.
Group transportation cost less.
Desi Fetch higher prices.
Bird-flu risk less.

Contd..
Livestock and Group
Milk Marketing.
The schemes will only
yield optimum benefit if
livestock management is
done.
Training and monitoring
required
Change in attitude as old
methods used

Training for Horticulture

plants
Training before and after
plantation
Trimming, manure and
irrigation
Booklet containing
information.

Contd..
Village fund (Sustainable - Financial)
WDC rule formation - some % of benefits from
horticulture plants should go to village fund.
Target of transfer, so that expedite capacity building and
skills.

Contd..
SMC and VHC
Members of WDC also
members of these
committees so that all
round problems and
solution can be
discussed and
implemented

Herbal Co-operative
Function and plan for
future should be ready.
Herbal saplings
according to the needs
of co-op can be
provided.
Marketed well.