Karnataka Comprehensive Watershed Development Project for World Bank Assistance –Dept. of Agriculture, Govt. of Karnataka, Bangalore; Dec 1999
AFC assisted Government of Karnataka in submitting a proposal to World Bank. The Watershed Development Project prepared by AFC aimed at Poverty Alleviation through integrated development of diversified fields like moisture and soil conservation, crop husbandry, horticulture, livestock farming, fisheries and other related line of activities. The project focussed not only on resource conservation to arrest further land degradation but also on optimum land use based on its potential to augment and sustain its productivity. The holistic approach aimed at re-generating and conserving natural resources like land, soil, water and local bio-diversity. Project Benefits included enhancement of gross cropped area bringing significant reduction in the rate of resource degradation, development of resources for sustainable use through in situ conservation and choice of alternative high value crops; created scope for developing farming systems and income and employment generating alternative enterprises.
Based on AFC’s report, the World Bank assisted Government of Karnataka with a soft credit of around Rs.695 crores and the project is to be implemented over a period of seven years. Government of Karnataka has successfully implemented this project with a separate Project Implementing Agency (Sujala) under the Department of Watershed Development. The World Bank also extended the project for promotion of Income Generation Activities (IGA) covering the vulnerable groups not covered under first phase of the project. |
