Assessment of watershed management ecosystem services in India: a meta-analysis

Abstract

Besides increasing agricultural productivity, well-develo-ped watersheds have immense potential to minimize land degradation, mitigating the adverse impact of climate change and generating several other ecosystem services (ES). Quantifying these services is quintessential in ope-rationalizing the concept of management and decision-making relating to watershed management. The present study estimates the value of regulating (soil conservation and carbon sequestration) and supporting ES (ground-water recharge) generated by watersheds in India, and examines the factors that influence the flow of ES from watersheds. The study followed a meta-analysis approach using information from 221 watersheds in 5 major agro-climatic zones of the country. We found that the water-shed generates ES to the tune of Rs 34,113 per ha, with water recharging alone accounting for 60% of it. It shows that people’s participation in the planning, implementa-tion and management of watersheds significantly enhan-ces ES. Macro-watersheds (≥ 1000 ha) are more effective in generating ES, underscoring the need for investment in watersheds management in the semi-arid tropical re-gions, where problems of degradation of natural resources are more pronounced. This study suggests policies for land restoration and payment for ES to increase their flow.