Strategic Adaptation: Watershed Management as a Coping Mechanism

Climate variations in the recent decades with extended summers, changes in rainfall patterns and varying onset and exit of seasons are exhibiting direct impacts on cultivation, natural vegetations, surface/subsurface water and other natural resources. These are worst seen in developing nations as their people are largely dependent on the local precipitation and soil moisture for livelihood generations. Among various efforts to tackle the issues and challenges of the changing climate, watershed development approach with more site-specific interventions addressing local requirements proves to be more effective at micro levels. The vulnerability of climatic changes is mainly due to water stress, ecological disturbance, health and hygiene deterioration, and poor ICT. This research study highlights these issues and impact of watershed management in the Himalayan region identifying adaptation mechanism through watershed programs to demonstrate the suitability of site-specific action, research methods, GIS/RS and statistical techniques as effective in drawing adaptation mechanism to withstand the changing climate and its severity on the natural resources and livelihood of the community.