On the occasion of the International Year of Mountains, and in response to the clear consensus reached by the international community regarding the need to ensure harmonious and sustainable development of mountainous areas and watersheds, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners in the subject, undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends of regarding knowledge about and techniques for integrated watershed management. The objectives were to promote the exchange and dissemination of experiences of integrated watershed management techniques, identify constraints to the implementation and development of those techniques during the decade from 1990 to 2000 and capture relevant new paradigms and approaches. The lessons learned from diverse experiences are being used to define a new generation of integrated watershed management projects. Experts from four continents contributed to the assessment. Watershed management concepts and approaches were reviewed, and different experiences assessed. The results of this exercise are presented in several documents, including the proceedings of workshops and reports on the four case studies. The conservation, use and sustainable management of watershed resources in order to meet the demands of growing populations have been a high priority for many countries over the past several decades. In this respect, integrated watershed management through people’s participation has become widely accepted as the approach that ensures sound sustainable natural resources management and a better economy for upland inhabitants, as well as people living in downstream areas.
