Watershed Approach for Sustainable Landscape Development: Technology Transfer from Lab to Land Overview of Rangola – Bhadra Watershed, Gujarat, India

Abstract

The Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) approach has been globally accepted as the most viable option for natural resource management, but has not been efficiently implemented because of lack of required framework and/ or technical know-how. In the current scenario , where emphasis is being placed on making the local-level users participate in the management of natural resources at the watershed level, it is imperative that these local-level organizations be strengthened by providing the integrated watershed management tools which are user-friendly, but have their foundation in scientific knowledge to arrive at the appropriate decisions. This article is a humble attempt to put forward a scientific approach in the form of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to handle the IWM strategy through a case study implemented to demonstrate framework for local-level planning, incorporating the sustainability aspects of watershed development. One of the strongest points in favour of IWM is that it provides a platform for integrating the bio-physical and the social. The watershed management involves a large number of guiding principles such as conservation of natural resources, development of natural as well as social resources, in situ soil moisture conservation, sustainable farming system, livelihood support for landless families, democratic decentralization in decision making, equity for resource poor families and empowerment of women.