Introduction

COODU has been in the forefront of Watershed Development since its Genesis in the year 1995. As a Facilitating as well as Implementing Agency, COODU has been associated with the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDA) and the Department of Agriculture in the execution of 292 watersheds sanctioned under various Central and State Government Schemes. Having been groomed by the Gandhigram University, the Research Scholars who founded COODU, have applied tools of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) to ascertain Resources available in areas chosen for watershed Development, demographic and other details and involve the people in the planning of watershed Development. With technical inputs from academics and experts from Gandhigram University, COODU has imparted trainings to watershed Community and also built capacity in various skills. Under Centrally sponsored NWDPRA and State sponsored TNCWP, COODU, as Implementing Agency has itself developed watersheds with the participation of people. Under the CAPART – an Organisation under the purview of Ministry of Rural Development, sponsored “Drought Proofing Programme”, COODU had executed Soil and Moisture Conservation measures, water resources development and Afforestation, in the tribal village of Jumbugundi. Under the NABARD – WDF, COODU has developed a watershed with an extent of 1100 Ha. in Kiliyur watershed in Kodanur Panchayat in Tiruvadanai Block of Ramanathapuram District. COODU has been developing twenty four watersheds in Karamadai block of Coimbatore district as an Implementing partner, in association with ITC Ltd under its CSR initiative, called Water Stewardship Programme since the year 2015. COODU, in association with HDBFS – a sister Organisation of HDFC Bank has commenced development of four watersheds in Annur block of Coimbatore district from February, 2020.

Drought Prone Areas Programme(DPAP)

The basic objective of the programme is to minimise the adverse effects of drought on production of crops and livestock and productivity of land, water and human resources ultimately leading to drought proofing of the affected areas. The programme also aims to promote overall economic development and improving the socio-economic conditions of the resource poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme areas. The objective is environmental protection and restoration of ecological balance through appropriate natural resource management technologies.

Integrated Wasteland Development Project (IWDP)

This programme has been implemented for improving the productivity of waste & degraded lands keeping in view the poverty, backwardness, gender & equity of people. Development of wastelands mainly in non-forest areas aimed at checking land degradation, putting such wastelands of the country to SUSTAINABLE use & increasing bio-mass availability especially that of fuel-wood, fodder, fruits, fibre & small timber. The thrust of the scheme continues to be on development of wastelands.

National Watershed Development Programme For Rainfed Areas(NWDPRA)

• Conservation, development and sustainable management of natural resources including their use.
• Enhancement of agricultural productivity and production in a sustainable manner.
• Restoration of ecological balance in the degraded and fragile rainfed ecosystems by greening these areas through appropriate mix of trees, shrubs and grasses.
• Reduction in regional disparity between irrigated and rainfed areas.
• Creation of sustained employment opportunities for the rural community including the landless

Western Ghats Development Programme

i) Developing wastelands / degraded lands, drought-prone and desert areas on watershed basis, keeping in view the capability of land, site-conditions and local needs.
ii) Promoting the overall economic development and improving the socio- economic condition of the resource poor and disadvantaged sections inhabiting the programme area.
iii) Mitigating the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions such as drought and desertification on crops, human and livestock population for their over all improvement.
iv) Restoring ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing natural resources i.e., land, water, vegetative cover.
v) Encouraging village community for:
a) Sustained community action for the operation and maintenance of assets created and further development of the potential of the natural resources in the watershed.
b) Simple, easy and affordable technological solutions and institutional arrangements that make use of and build upon, local technical knowledge and available materials.
vi) Employment generation, poverty alleviation, community empowerment and development of human and other economic resources of the village.

Integrated Watershed Management Programme(IWMP)

IWMP is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development Department of Land Resources, Government of India, which has sanctioned sixth and seventh batches of watersheds under the IWMP. The district watershed committee has entrusted the organization with the development of 10 new watershed in Coimbatore district.

NABARD – Watershed Development Fund(WDF)

With the objectives of augmenting agricultural production, developing water resources, mitigating the impact of drought, providing livelihood, etc., the NABARD has been providing financial assistance to develop watersheds in drought prone areas, with NGOs as facilitators, under the guidance of Village Watershed Committees (VWC) and Watershed Association (WA).
COODU has been sanctioned one watershed project in Ramanathapuram district after a rigorous selection procedure by the State Steering Committee; the NABARD Watershed Development Fund Project is being implemented in Kiliyur Watershed in Kodanad Panchayat at an extent of 1100 Ha. in Tiruvadanai block of Ramanathapuram district.
After successfully completing Capacity Building Phase, the Organisation carried out Feasibility Study for implementing Final Phase. The following works and tasks have been executed in the watershed, thereby completing the project.

• Field Bund
• Field Bund Outlet
• Farm Pond (105 No.)
• Farm Pond Outlet
• Pasture Development on Farm Pond Bunds
• Agro Forestry
• Agro Horticulture
• Grass seeds
• Channel formation
• Deepening of Percolation Pond
• Training and Demonstration

Drought Proofing Programme

TCOODU was selected as Implementation Agency to execute Drought Proofing Programme in the tribal areas in PeriyaJambugandi of Perianaikanpalayam Block at the foothills of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore District in the year 2001-2002 by the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), a Government of India under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development. COODU had formed tribal SHGs and UGs and imparted training on accounts, soil & moisture conservation, afforestation and pasture development etc., COODU had facilitated hundreds of tribal farmers and labourers in the execution of the following works Summer ploughing, farm bunding, stone bunding, stone bunding, checkdams& vegetative barrier, percolation ponds, renovation of existing ponds, farm and cattle ponds, agro-forestry and horticulture plantation and fodder crops, etc.

Tamilnadu comprehensive wasteland development project (TNCWDP)

The State Government have sanctioned wasteland development projects under the TNCWP and the COODU has been entrusted with the development of wastelands as facilitators in Kamuthi block - Ramanathapuram District on the watershed concept. During 2003-04, the COODU, with its multi-dimensioned teams has facilitated in the formation of agro and horticultural plantations in 100 ha. of wastelands, generating employment opportunities to thousands of Agricultural labourers.