Impact Assessment of Watershed Development Issues, Methods and Experiences

Watershed development has been conceived as one of the important rural development programmes in India where the rainfed agriculture is characterized by low productivity, degraded natural resources and widespread poverty. Recognizing the importance of watershed development for their perceived ability to promote agriculture and rural development, both Central and State governments make huge investments on watershed development and management. The present volume is the outcome of national seminar on Impact Assessment of Watershed Development: Conceptual and Methodological Issues Organised by Water Technology Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. It contains valuable papers on different themes such as Theoretical and Empirical Issues in Watershed Impact Assessment, Decision Support System for Watershed Development Planning and Evaluation and Experiences and case studies in relation to impact assessment of watershed development. The book attempts to provide a forum for discussing various issues in relation to impact assessment of watershed development. It is hoped that this effort of ours will enhance understanding of the issues involved and aid in proper policy framework. Also the book would be very much useful to the researchers, scholars, NGOs, PlAs, government officials, donor agencies and policy makers and planners. (jacket).…