Scaling-up participatory watershed management: Evidence from the Himalayan foothills

Abstract

This paper presents a post-project evaluation of an award winning Joint Forest Management (JFM) program in the Shiwalik Hills, Haryana, India. The focus is on the development and management of a series of small dams which commanded the major proportion of funds in the project. Our findings are based on a rapid survey of 28 Hill Resource Management Societies (HRMS) and a detailed case study of two (HRMS) in the Morni-Pinjore Forest Division of Haryana. Over the period 1990-98 the Ford Foundation, Tata Energy Research Institute and Haryana Forest Department worked together to scale-up the highly successful Sukhomajiri watershed management model. The project can hardly be termed a success. Due to rapid siltation less than 20 percent of dams were functioning in 2000. A number of factors contributed to the failure. These include lack of an effective catchment stabilization plan, lack of effective leadership in management of dams and lack of interest on the part of farmers who had either tubewells or substantial income from non-farm sources. In summary, government and donor agencies attempting to scale up participatory watershed management must be aware of the pre-conditions needed for success.