A livestock inclusive approach in the watershed development programmes

Livestock initiatives integrates well with the three main components of the watershed program viz., natural resources management, productivity enhancement and livelihoods improvement. However, integration of livestock issues into watershed development should not make undue demands on the limited financial resources in the program. Also, it should not replace the sectoral investment allocation to livestock sector nor dilute the responsibilities of the livestock departments in addressing the issues. Increased investment allocation within the Livestock Departments to converge with watershed programs may be an option for effective integration of livestock issues into the program.

Watershed is a process oriented, community institutions centered approach. The following nodes of integration with the watershed program may be considered:

• Community institutions: Providing representation to the livestock rearers organisations into the decision making processes, providing scope for developing specific programs addressing issues of rearers as a specific stakeholder group and promoting livestock assets in households not having livestock are some of the aspects that need to be addressed. Building in a focus on institutional mechanisms for grazing rotation, marketing, health care services is important.

• Participatory action planning: specific livestock sub-sector plans like ensuring drinking water for livestock, fodder sub-plans etc. may be considered. Developing participatory planning methodologies and unit costs for specific interventions, approval mechanisms for such plans etc. are the major constraints.

• Capacity building budget presently available in the watershed program is not sufficient for programs like developing para-workers. Some budgets from the productivity enhancement (as a part of works budget) may be accessed. Developing relevant capacity building modules is of utmost importance.

• Program Facilitation: Treating livestock as a specialized sector does not take us forward as the program can not afford the salaries of a specialist. Developing capacities of the existing workers and para-professionals need to be focused. How to space out the program processes and the sequence of process steps are important to make the best use of 5 years time frame presently available.

• What can livestock sector learn from watershed approach? The community based programs, building stakeholder institutions and vesting program budgets with them, an area approach covering the entire households and area .. are some of the major processes that might help the livestock sector improve its relevance and effectiveness.

Some of the nodes in the watershed program for integrating specific thematic areas related to livestock are presented below:

The framework for funding is clear and it may not need additional budget allocation except for capacity building inputs. No special allocations within the watershed budgets are needed; nor it is healthy as it limits the scope of accessing budgets from other nodes. The operational strategies and processes like participatory planning methods, capacity building modules, appropriate institutional mechanisms, effective convergence strategies need to be evolved. Little more focus in the Watershed Program Guidelines would help in bringing out the importance.

More than anything, what we need are good examples of addressing livestock issues in watershed development programs. Such examples need to be created.

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