Peoples’ Participation for Effective Management of Watershed Development Programme

Study was conducted in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh during 2005–08. Out of sixteen blocks of the district, seven blocks were selected for the study and two villages from each block were short listed for selecting the beneficiaries of watershed development programme. Thus, a total 210 respondents from 14 villages constituted the sample for research work. Beside farmers, ten (10) officers working in watershed development projects were selected for delineating constraints in implementation of watershed development projects. A pre-tested standardized interview schedule was used to collect data from the respondents using personal interview method. The respondents (51.43 per cent) were found to have moderate participation in watershed development programme whereas 30.00 and 18.57 per cent respondents had less and more participation level, respectively. Relationship between selected independent variables with people's participation in watershed development programme, age, family size and position in family were negatively and significantly related, while education, irrigation facilities, land holding, material possession, source of information, caste, housing pattern, annual income, social capital, political administrative status, leadership style and management orientation were positively and significantly related. The results of the study revealed that the watershed development programme was effective due to enhanced participation, increased number of trees and production level (including live stock) in watershed area.