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.
So, on the occasion of the International Year of Mountains, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners undertook a large-scale assessment and global review of the current status and future trends 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.
