This book assesses the effectiveness of changes in watershed interventions in one of the most fragile resource regions of India. Specifically the chapters examine various watershed centred interventions and their implementation process. An evaluation of the livelihood impacts, including crop production on the communities, is discussed and an assessment of the drought and climate resilience of households in the context of watershed and related interventions, including institutions and capacity of the communities, is investigated. Lessons are drawn to further identify measures to strengthen and improvise interventions for enhanced climate-drought resilience in harsh environments.

This book demonstrates the application of Life-cycle Cost Approach (LCCA) in the management of infrastructure and other investment projects in the context of developing countries. The main goal is to identify potential opportunities for the adoption LCCA in developing countries, with the help of case studies and best practices. The editors observe that developing countries are plagued with poor and fluctuating service delivery which affords low or no priority for environmental protection. They seek to instill at the policy-making level an understanding of why life-cycle cost assessment is central to achieving the goals of sustainable development as well as sustainable service delivery and to influence the behavior of sector stakeholders. The editors examine the evolution of LCCA from a project appraisal tool to a more comprehensive method of incorporating sustainable development aspects in a variety of sectors. By providing a compendium of concepts, tools and practical experiences, it seeks to broaden the application of LCCA, which is often limited to specific phases of the life-cycle with little or no weight given to environmental aspects. The aim of the book is to mainstream LCCA into governance processes at institutional levels from local to national, in order to increase the ability and willingness of decision makers - both users and those involved in service planning, budgeting and delivery - to reach better informed and more relevant choices among different types and levels of products and services.

Integrated Assessment of Scale Impacts of Watershed Interventions is the outcome of a multi-disciplinary research team of social scientists, hydrologists (groundwater and surface water), modellers; and bio-physical scientists who have worked together over five years to develop an integrated model of the sustainability of biophysical, economic and social impacts of watersheds. Impacts of watershed interventions are assessed at upstream, mid-stream and downstream locations of two hydrological units that are characterised with differential bio-physical attributes. The editors propose that watershed interventions, when integrated with hydro-geology and bio-physical aspects, have greater influence on the resilience of the socio-ecological system. This book takes these aspects in to consideration and in the process provides insights in to watershed design and implementation.

Integrated Approaches to Sustainable Watershed Management in Xeric Environments: A Training Manual provides the reader with the tools they need to understand an integrated approach to watershed management. The book presents a conceptual framework of water management based on the authors' vast experience. Topics covered include a scientific background of watershed management and the integration of geohydraulic and socioeconomic factors. Key points are further enhanced with case studies, problem sets, Bayesian Networks and quizzes to educate watershed managers, industry professionals and agencies. Authored by a team of leaders in the field who are responsible for groundbreaking research in the area, this book draws on their experience synthesizing scientific, practical, on the ground expertise. This is an essential tool for researchers and professionals in environmental, water or natural resource management.

The proposed book is an attempt towards an integrated approach for water security and management in the backdrop of irrigation reforms in Andhra Pradesh. In the absence of an integrated approach, 'water security' would remain a distant dream. Water security ensures equity and sustainability. In the context of scarcity, allocation of water should be governed by optimality rather than productivity. For, optimality combines economic as well as social benefits. Water security is indispensable for addressing inter and intra-regional as well as inter-household inequalities in growth and development and sustaining the ecological balance. In fragile resource regions, environ-mental degradation is seen as a cause of household food insecurity and as a consequence of water insecurity. That is food security is linked to water security through environmental degradation in these regions. The book is based on the author's work on four important aspects of irrigation management, namely, canals, tanks, wells and water pollution. The study emanates from intensive field research covering different agro-climatic locations in Andhra Pradesh. The study highlights the inter-linkages between different sources of irrigation as well as approaches to irrigation management and argues for an integrated approach for achieving water security.