Sustained development and management of natural resources is an a priori necessary condition for rural development particularly in agrarian countries like India. The watershed (defined as an area having a common drainage) approach is more apt in developing and managing land-water-vegetation in an integrated manner for each agroclimatic setting. The experiences of Karnataka State, commonly recognized as miniature India due to its true representativeness of the country, since the early 1980s are of immense utility. The State Watershed Development Directorate has implemented seven programmes sponsored by the state and national governments, and international agencies. The total area covered by the above projects is 7.21 lakh hectares utilizing Rs 1337 millions tone dollar = Rs 40 approx.). The integrated single window delivery approach has ensured better organizational structure, detailed planning, comprehensive treatment, people's participation and incremental income and employment. There are ten agro-climatic zones in the state. The 20 state watersheds (of 25 to 30 hectares each) including six supported by World Bank; one Participative Integrated Development of Watershed (PIDOW); five Indo-Swiss Participative Watershed Development-Karnataka (ISPWD-K), five German Development Bank (KFW); 150 Integrated Rural Water Supply and Environmental Sanitation (IRWS&ES) Project Watersheds are spread over these ten zones. Therefore, the experiences are available for different agro-climatic settings ranging from almost desert climate (350 mm annual rainfall) to heavy rainfall (up to 4500 mm annual rainfall) zones. Since the agriculture (both soil conservation engineering and crop production wings), forest, and horticulture sectors are working together in the watershed development program, the planning and execution has been of the standard that is recognized at international levels. There is in-built flexibility in implementation. This blends the bottom-top and top-bottom planning resulting in clarity during the implementation once the project is commissioned. The planning for seeds, fertilizers, plant protection chemicals, credit and other inputs involving different agencies has resulted in timely supplies and thereby adoption of recommended practices. The Mnicro-Watershed Sanghas (informal association of farmers in a micro-watershed) has helped in meeting the cash needs of member farmers for crop production and also ensuring group action. This has also inculcated financial discipline among farmers and promoted local leadership. There are evidences of wider acceptance and sustainability of rural development activities wherever they are introduced in the already developed watersheds.
