Determinants of technological gap in soil and water conservation technologies implemented in watershed management programmes in India

The Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation (IISWC) and its research Centres have implemented large number of Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) technologies for watersheds development in the country. In this article, we measured the extent of technological gap in adopted SWC technologies and also ascertained the factors responsible for technological gap. The results show that about one-fifth (18.96%) of SWC technologies were adopted with technological gap by farmers in different watersheds. Technology-wise data revealed that 9.04 per cent farmers adopted check dams with technological gap, 4.22 per cent farmers adopted pond with technological gap, 18.82 per cent farmers adopted land leveling with technological gap and 34.52 per cent farmers adopted bunding with technological gap. Important reasons for technological gap in check dam technology were lack of money, siltation and labour problem. Siltation, lack of money & resources and bund damaged were the reasons for technological gap in pond technology. Important reasons for technological gap in adoption of land leveling were lack of money, lack of labour and costly technology. Bunding technology was adopted by farmers with technological gap due to lack of money to repair, breached by rain water and lack of labour for maintenance of bunding. Results imply that financial support or provision should be made after withdrawal of watershed project for poor farmers to repair and maintenance of adopted SWC technologies to remove technological gap in adopted technologies. Farm equipments should also be made available to farmers for common use on custom hiring basis could help in repair and maintenance of SWC structures to overcome the non-availability of labour.