guideline

PREFACE

Today, as we engage in perhaps one of the greatest challenges of our times to meet the imperative of increasing agricultural production in a sustainable way, we are more acutely aware than ever before that all of us are "member(s) of the vast commonwealth of nature". And as we continue our search for "paths to human progress that meet the needs and aspirations of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs", wise stewardship of our natural resources, namely, land, water and bio-diversity becomes one of our foremost objectives.

The Green Revolution was the principal instrument in imparting dynamism to agricultural growth. Modern agricultural technologies developed and extended over the past three decades have contributed to unprecedented growth in the country’s food production. Without the fruits of the Green Revolution, there would be large food deficits and food security itself might have been jeopardized. But now there is a growing concern that these mainstream technologies, which have benefits as well as costs, might not be sustainable. Rapid depletion of groundwater tables on the one hand together with water-logging and occurrence of salinity on the other, could shut down "thirsty" production practices in the decades ahead. It is estimated that about 175 million hectares, nearly half the country’s land area suffers from varying degrees of degradation such as water erosion, wind erosion, ravines, salt affected areas, waterlogging, shifting cultivation and degraded forests.

Agriculture being the largest user of soil and water resources is critical to sustainable development. Watershed Development Approach to rainfed farming encompassed in the WARASA Jan Sahbhagita Guidelines is a vehicle for achieving the twin objectives of enhancing production while simultaneously preserving the natural resource base. The thrust in the Watershed Approach is on low-cost, location specific technologies which are more knowledge based and give room to local innovation rather than capital and chemical intensive.

WARASA Jan Sahbhagita as the very name suggests ensures that the Watershed Community remains at the centre of the watershed development project who plan and implement the project in their watersheds. The role of official agencies is more that of facilitators and coordinators. We believe that these new Guidelines will help in making the National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas into a people’s movement and the watershed slogan

" Khet ki mitti khet mein, khet ka pani khet mein;

Gaon ki mitti gaon mein, gaon ka pani gaon mein."

a reality in the rainfed areas of the country.

Dr. Rita Sharma
Joint Secretary & Land Resources Commissioner
Government of India
Ministry of Agriculture
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation