The protection and sustainable management of natural resources involve associated technological techniques and social systems that are suitable to the biophysical conditions of a place.
Conservation activities with large investments of time and funding are never accomplished unless local knowledge is incorporated.
To address interrelated technical and social issues in Watershed resource management,
marginalized groups must be included during the planning, implementation, monitoring, and enforcement of the Watershed management plan. This is possible only through Community mobilization, capacity development, and livelihood improvement of Locals.
Some of the programs and corresponding activities suggested by DSCWM ( Department of soil conservation and Watershed management) for achieving envisioned IWM objectives are as follows:
1. Conservation Income Generation Program
To sustain soil conservation and watershed management works along with livelihood improvement of pro-poor, women, and marginalized people, the following activities are suggested:
- Income generating activities supporting soil conservation in group
- Vegetable farming
- Livestock rearing
- Fruit tree plants purchasing and distribution
- Bamboos rhizomes purchasing and distribution
- Broom grass plantation
2. Community Mobilization/Empowerment
To encourage more participation, leadership, and networking among a broader constituency of local people following activities are suggested:
- Different types of the training organization
- Gender and social inclusion training
- Meeting, workshop, interaction
- Skill development training
- Technical training such as watershed
3. Agro-forestry Development
To manage land efficiently for increased productivity, food supply along with employment generation following activities are identified under this program:
- Fruit tree plantation
- Fodder/grass plantation
- Land productivity enhancement activities such as composting, green manuring, mulching, etc.
4. Small enterprise development
To get marginalized communities united, and create employment through mobilizing local resources following activities are suggested:
- Ginger and turmeric cultivation
- Vegetable farming
- Fruit tree plantation
- Bamboo rhizomes distribution
- Livestock rearing
5. Partnership soil conservation
To increase collaboration between and among stakeholders for the best use of given resources following activities are essential:
- Collaboration with other organizations for financial support
- Local bodies, i.e. VDCs, Municipalities’ support for conservation activities’ completion
- SCWM-related programs/activities implemented in collaboration with other stakeholders
- Collaboration with individuals, organizations, and the community
6. Conservation Education Campaign
To deliver the message of conservation and development to teachers and students by organizing talks, exhibitions, film shows, land use judgment contests for conservation awards, and others, the following root-level activities are recommended:
- Conservation education in the school curriculum
- Use of media to disseminate the message
- Collaboration with other stakeholders
7. Conservation Women Training/ Workshop/ Exposure Visit
To capacitate the women and women groups by enhancing the existing knowledge, skills, and capacities of women in conservation initiatives and endeavors following activities are encouraged:
- Orientation to the members about tours, visits
- Organization of the training, tour, visits
- Taking different conservation groups into account
