Vol. 12, Issue 1 (2023)

Author(s):
Silpa RC and Dr. Mercykutty MJ

Abstract:
More than 60 per cent of India’s population still reside in rural areas and depend on agriculture for livelihoods. Natural resources are the prime inputs for agriculture and allied activities. But ever increasing population pressure leads to land degradation which adversely affects resource productivity. In Kerala, 67 per cent of total geographic area has already been degraded mainly by soil erosion and soil acidity caused due to anthropogenic and natural factors (NBSS&LUP, 2014). To cope up with these situation, devolution of responsibilities for management of natural resources at the community level has been increasing over years at watersheds in rainfed tracts of the country. IWMP (Integrated Watershed Management Programme) is latest watershed programme initially launched by Government of India in 2009 and made as component of PMKSY (Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana) in 2015. With this background, present study was undertaken during the year 2021-2022 to analyze the effectiveness of IWMP in ensuring natural resource management (NRM) as perceived by 270 stakeholders in three micro-watersheds representing three geographics zones of Kerala. A composite index was developed by combining four dimensions namely bio-physical, socio-economic, institutional and sustainability to measure perceived effectiveness. Results implied that IWMP was effective in the three watersheds but in varying degrees. There were no much difference in pattern of responses for effectiveness as perceived by three types of stakeholders selected for study. Validity of the conceptual framework of perceived effectiveness index used for the study was confirmed by factor analysis. Bio-physical dimension had highest contribution towards effectiveness followed by socio-economic, institutional and sustainability dimensions.