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Conference on
Environmental and Livelihood Security through Resource Management in
Northern India (ELSTRM-2007)
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The status of SLUBs calls for a constructive revisit to reorient and make them functionally effective for providing options in scientific land use/land utilization planning for different agro-ecological zones/ sub-zones by blending conservation planning with development planning as emphasized in the World Conservation Strategy and World Land Charter and also listed in the Agenda-21.
- At the national level the Apex Body needs to be reactivated so that it can urgently address to the much awaited task of formulating National Land Use Policy inclusive of relevant S & T inputs.
- It is heartening to note that participatory watershed management has taken root. However variable models are needed to suit different activities of the WSM plan and site specific situations for enhancing benefits and sustaining productivity and livelihood to counter adverse effects of land degradation and climate change impacts.
- Capacity building of all players in a programme or project at all levels are needed and the capacity building plan (CPB) should cover awareness generation and empowerment in terms of technical skill, mobilization of funds and management of resources thus pooled through network of ICT / Knowledge Centres / Resource Centres, etc.
- ITK based or supplemented integrated farming systems over large areas for cultivating high value crops (vegetables, fruits and medicinal and aromatic plants) that are naturally suited to herbal states like Himachal and Uttrakhand should be propagated to reduce load on forests and enhance population supporting capacity.
- For monitoring the programmes/projects under implementation while adopting a set of major performing indicators, location and target group specific sub-indicators should be chosen carefully to build up baseline/benchmark data that would help recommend mid-course modification and also help critically analyse the data to assess impact on the bio-physical base, socio-economic status and environmental foot prints.
- As a durable upstream-downstream linkage in the management of land and water, water harnessing and uses have to attain higher efficiency while water productivity should be enhanced by resorting to multiple uses of water, conjunctive use of surface and ground water and also combining high density low volume small irrigation systems (mini-micro) with low density high volume systems (minor, medium and major projects).
- Convergence and synergy among implementing agencies should be ensured without compromising the basic principles of watershed approach for sustained and holistic development of an area.
- Creation of a robust database through scientific assessment, characterization and inventory of Natural resources using remote sensing and GIS is needed for developing optimum land use plans, contingent farm planning for diverse agro-ecological and socio economic situations (arid to per humid) of Northern India for holistic risk assessment, resources conservation and upgradation, employment generation and income supplementation/enhancement.
- Research and development (R&D) should address the issues concerning soil and water conservation and water resources specific to densely populated mid Himalayan region.
- In the hilly regions, bio-engineering technologies for rehabilitation of affected areas - landslides, minespoils, torrents, road sides, etc. need to be refined. Design of SWC structures taking into account hydraulic and edphic factors.
- Institutional mechanisms for management of common property resources need to be revisited with a focus on environmental and livelihood securities by involving the local community especially the women and landless and weaker sections of the society for their inclusive growth.
- For sustaining agriculture production from trans-gangetic plains prevailing soil and crop management practices need to be re-evaluated to prevent deterioration of soil health, depletion of groundwater, water quality, etc. Crop diversification and efficient water use needs to be promoted. There is scope of further improving productivity of chemically degraded soil and water resources of the region through available technology.
- Organizational structure and functioning should be critically reviewed in order to motivate all persons to identify with works and evolve a work culture and follow a mechanism which would deliver goods and services to the communities in time, in quality and to the fullest extent of financial allocation.
- In order to enter into development planning process of the country and give valuable inputs from these professional bodies, the scientific exercise on the application of the tool of Population Supporting Capacity (PSC) considering demands of all types phytomass of a family be taken up.
- To counter adverse observations made by some quarters on hydrologic regeneration through soil and water conservation and afforestation on watershed development projects, operational research project on watershed hydrology should be taken up.
- From data thus generated appropriate tools and mechanism could be obtained to assess the sustainability of various sources and safe utilizable volume of water for societal uses.
- Societal wastes (solid and liquid) should be taken as a resource with locked up nutrients and should be used to raise renewable phytomass utilizing natures system of bio-degradation. This would also arrest further loss of land area as well as utilisable through pollution and contamination.
- Agro-forestry models synergized with cultivated crop field and regenerated in-situ forests can help quickest and voluminous sequestration of soil carbon stock and establishing a robust dynamic carbon cycle between land and air.
- Definition and scope of soil and water conservation should be reviewed pragmatically in the context of current and future concerns for sustainable development and both should be expanded suitably as was done several times in the past.
- Sustainable natural resources development and poverty reduction are impacted negatively by the very heavy density of human and livestock pollution. Hence population of humans and livestock needs to be managed.
- Sustainable and efficient natural research possible with delivery of goods and services in quality and quantity, in time and in spaces, proper application and utilization of funds. These aspects need to be improved.
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