Towards sustainable watershed development and management: the case of participatory design and construction of a communal drain system

Farmers in the Ginchi Joint Vertisol Project research micro-watershed have adopted the improved vertisol wheat technology package. Improved drainage using a graded bed and furrow system in the control component of this package, allowing safe disposal of field runoff and early sowing of improved wheat varieties. The vertisol watershed is representative of the region, at an altitude of 2200 m, with an annual rainfall of 1139 mm, animal reference evapotransportation of 1296 mm. and annual mean temperature of 16.3 degree centegrade. Seasonal runoff measured during the last seven years ranged from 76 to 359 mm indicating the importance of controlled drainage. Adopting farmers have used the drainage technology on their individual scattered fields resulting in appreciably higher wheat yields. Where such fields where not bordering natural gullies conflict resulted with non-adopters protesting invading runoff, while adopters complained about hampered drainage. To solve these problems the JVP initiated the community participatory design and construction of a communal drain in the micro-watershed. A topographical survey provided data on terrain elevations, field boundaries and ownership, gullies and gully boundaries, pathways and sellements of the Ginchi micro-watershed. Waterway design parameters were derived from the survey data. The 45 ha micro-watershed was cultivated by 64 farmers, of whom six women farmers, using 152 fields having an average size of 0.3 ha. Following extensive watershed transect walks with farmers, research staff, and Ministry of Agriculture extension staff, farmers agreed on the layout and their participation in the constructionof a 0.85 km communal main drain. and a cutoff drain. Forty-six farmers participated, moving 500 m of earth requiring 173 person days. Farmer participation was explained by seven independent variables of which four were highly statistically significant. These were the amount of land a farmer owned, the proportion of land bordering the communal drain, the number of draft animals in relation to family size and leadership defined by membership of the executive committee of the involved Peasant Association. Neighboring farmers copied the work on a smaller scale. In other communities there may be different important factors influencing participation. Participatory consultation with the community about any planned public good development is necessary and likely to maximize voluntary participation.