Assessment of watershed management ecosystem services in India: a meta-analysis

Besides increasing agricultural productivity, well-develo­ped watersheds have immense potential to minimize land degradation, mitigating the adverse impact of climate change and generating several other ecosystem services (ES). Quantifying these services is quintessential in ope­rationalizing the concept of management and decision-making relating to watershed management. The present study estimates the value of regulating (soil conservation and carbon sequestration) and supporting ES (groundwater recharge) generated by watersheds in India, and examines the factors that influence the flow of ES from watersheds. The study followed a meta-analysis approach using information from 221 watersheds in 5 major agro-climatic zones of the country. We found that the watershed generates ES to the tune of Rs 34,113 per ha, with water recharging alone accounting for 60% of it. It shows that people’s participation in the planning, implementation and management of watersheds significantly enhan­ces ES. Macro-watersheds (³ 1000 ha) are more effective in generating ES, underscoring the need for investment in watersheds management in the semi-arid tropical regions, where problems of degradation of natural resour­ces are more pronounced. This study suggests policies for land restoration and payment for ES to increase their flow