Watershed Development and Livestock Rearing- Experiences and Learning from the Watershed Organisation Trust, Maharashtra, India

The study demonstrates how watershed development has immense scope to secure livestock-based livelihoods and, at the same time, build the natural resource base. This is possible, provided key elements such as securing availability and access to CPRs; investments in CPR regeneration with ridge (largely comprising forest lands)-to-valley approach; integration of grazing-based livestock systems and water budgeting in watershed planning; protection of ‘high potential recharge zones’; and utilizing traditional livestock systems to manage watersheds post-project, are in place.

The study is based on assessments in four watersheds, namely Darewadi, Mandwa, Mhaswandi, and Wanjulshet in Maharashtra, which were developed by the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) during the implementation of Phase 1 of the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP).

Authors - K Bhavana Rao and Mihir Mathur

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