NAME OF THE TECHNIQUE : In villages Naigaon, Adgaon, Ralegan Shindi watershed development is done for overall development of a village.

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE TECHNIQUE : Watershed development is important for the overall development of a village. The physical and climatic conditions in India vary to a large extent. Stable agriculture was a dream when watershed development was started. Now it is not the situation. People have realised that they can survive only of they follow this technique.

Watershed development involves all the techniques mentioned above in integrated manner. The techniques can be summerised as : Grassland development, Gully Plugs, Tree plantation and contour trenching on hill tops and slopes, Contour bunding, Water conservation structures, Lift irrigation schemes, Land leveling etc.

Purpose of watershed development: Main purpose use of local resources for betterment of the villages with less external input . Watershed development has raised living standard of the people in villages.

WHO WILL ADOPT THIS TECHNIQUE: In Maharashtra only 13% of the cropped area is getting irrigation water, thus remaining 87% area is dependent on rain only. To increase water availability in these villages by insitu methods of soil and water conservation all villages with the help of government and N.G.O.s can adopt this technique for self sufficiency. Maharashtra state government has also started work on watershed development.

WHY THIS TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE ADOPTED: Timely water supply to the farms is an essential requirement. Larger flow irrigation projects can't satisfy this need for all villages and so planning of village as a unit and work on watershed development for sustainable agriculture appears the only way-out for rural development.

People from rural area can get economical returns from agricultural lands, waste lands, lands along hill slopes. They can grow grass in hilly area and can use that as a fodder for cattle. Farmers can go for dairy development. Marginal farmers and landless can start small primary industry like that of compost.

On common land village as a whole can work for grassland development and trenching with the intention that this work will increase water availability in their wells and to stop further degradation of the common or government land. For soil and water conservation this activity will help. Plantation on common land will satisfy basic need of fuel wood, fruits, fodder etc.

In short by adoption of this technique there is assured drought proofing, stabilised agriculture and improvement in living standard.

HOW TO ADOPT THE TECHNIQUE: For adoption of this technique first step for the villagers should come together and decide what are the plus and minus points of this technique with reference to concerned village. As watershed development is not a single point technique, the priorities of different works need to decided. Important part in this type of work is to identify appropriate types of works under the existing conditions. Right choice of work and place ensures the success. Say for example tree plantation is an important activity of watershed development then choice of the species is an important part. We have to choose trees which will satisfy basic needs of a village, like fruit, fodder, fuel, improvement of soil etc.

RESULTS AFTER ADOPTION OF A TECHNIQUE: The results of successful implementation are: 1. Soil along the sloppy fields is protected from erosion. Thus work of soil conservation is done without much special hi- tech technique. Increase in the fertility of soil reducing overall requirement of fertilizer. 2. Biomass generated can be used for cattle as fodder and compost as an organic manure thus requirement of chemical fertilizer is reduced. 3. As flowing water is obstructed, rate of infiltration is increased. At Adgaon village there is good recharge of groundwater table. 4. Income level from eroded land increased when treated with different techniques. 5. Income generation from the trees in the form of fodder, nitrogen in the soil, fruits, fuel, green manure etc. 6. In Adgaon and Ralegan Shindi villages crop yield increased by about 150%. 7. Drought proofing conditions created in a village. 8. At some places there supporting activities of income generation came up, like Dairy, Food processing, Poultry etc. 9. In villages employment generation increased. People in the developed villages offered employment to the people in the nearby villages. This happened in all the three villages under study.

PROBLEMS IN ADOPTION: It is very difficult to convince people for watershed development work. People are not aware of their hidden potential. It is a general impression that development activity is a job of government and people have no say in it. People are not ready to spend money because of their limited resources. In initial stages, there are doubts about success and so the people are hesitant.

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM: In Adgaon village people contributed some amount and some free labour was offered by the villagers. This was done in Ralegan Shindi also. In Ralegan Shindi people contributed about 10% of the total cost. In Pani Panchayat lift irrigation schemes people contributed 20% of the total cost of the scheme. Government did some work in some villages.

Though overall cost required for watershed development is large, it is possible to prepare a phased programme with priorities, after discussions with the beneficiaries.

KEY FACTORS IN SUCCESS: Factors contributing success are: 1. Local techniques, easy to adopt. 2. Some techniques are low cost. 3. External input to the village is minimum. 4. Participation of villagers in each and every stage of implementation of the programme. 5. Some financial assistance to the villagers from state government and from voluntary agencies working there. 6. Employment generation during implementation period and thereafter people got fully engaged in agriculture activities in their own fields. Their gain is sufficient for their livelihood. 7. Whole work is done considering village as a unit.