Constraints and mitigation strategies for smooth implementation of integrated watershed management programme: A lesson from wokha, nagaland

Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) is highly prioritized flagship programme of Government of India for all-round development and poverty alleviation of rural people on a watershed basis. Accordingly, it was introduced in Nagaland. This paper is an attempt to explore the constraints involved in the implementation of IWMP and measures for mitigation of constraints. Accordingly, Wokha district of Nagaland was purposively selected for the study. Total of 120 beneficiaries was purposively selected from 12 villages (10 beneficiaries from each village). To assess the constraints, a list containing 24 constraints was prepared after thorough research from literature and assuming the local condition of the study area. The constraints were ranked based on the frequencies of response against each constraint. Among the constraints, ‘Lack of post-harvest technologies’, ‘Technology being capital and labour intensive’, ‘Lack of transport facilities’, ‘Lack of skilled labour’, ‘Lack of technical knowledge’, ‘Non availability of good quality equipment and implements to construct conservation structures’ were some of the most commonly faced constraints. Further, provision of providing rubber roller, provision of proper market linkage for the produces, the inclusion of a greater number of beneficiaries under different livelihood activities and provision of training on tapping of rubber emerged as remedial measures as provided by the beneficiaries.