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Abstract
Besides the analysis of technical and ecological viability, knowledge of
the existing land tenure systems is an essential pre-requisite for the success
of watershed projects and policy reforms required for their effective
implementation. Using descriptive analysis, Lorenz curve and Gini
concentration ratio (GCR), this study has explained the relationship between
the existing land tenure systems and the prospects for the success of
watershed projects in the Meghalaya State, North-East India. The study
has revealed that the Umsiang watershed project having community
ownership system of tenure produced more positive changes in the landuse
pattern after the project implementation than the Maweit watershed
project practising individual ownership system. The area under jhum
cultivation in the Umsiang watershed decreased significantly due to
transformation of jhum sloppy lands into permanent contour cultivation.
The area under horticulture plantations particularly fruit crops increased
by 2118 per cent; afforested and aquaculture areas also increased by 296
and 2480 per cent, respectively after the project. The area under jhum
cultivation in the Maweit watershed decreased only marginally (by 2%)
and the area under permanent contour cultivation was negligible after the
project. The absence of ownership rights to the tenants in the Maweit
watershed has resulted in little incentive for the adoption of long-term
development measures. The annual average income per household
increased to Rs 40,227 (36% increase) in the Umsiang watershed and to Rs
36,313 (19% increase) in the Maweit watershed after the project. The offfarm
income went up by 49 per cent in the Umsiang watershed and 38 per
cent in the Maweit watershed. The watershed projects under the
Community ownership system of land tenure would be more successful in increasing farm income and employment opportunities. The income
inequality also decreased in the Umsiang watershed after the project as
shown by Lorenz curve and GCR. But the gap between the rich and the
poor in the Maweit watershed increased after the project. The study has
clearly indicated that land tenure system is an important factor in the
implementation of watershed projects successfully. Effective land reform
policy would be essential for the successful implementation of watershed
development programmes.