ABSTRACT
The study investigated the role of community (traditional) and government-bases institutions in watershed management in Anambra State of Nigeria. Data were collected from 92 respondents who were selected and interviewed using both interview schedule and questionnaires. The data collected were presented using percentages and means. The results indicated that for the community based institutions, it is the adult males that manage the watersheds and this role has not changed, whereas the government-based institutions manage and regenerate the watersheds. The result also indicated that the effective management activities in Anambra State watersheds embraced defecation, prohibition of excess wood logging and dumping of refuse with mean of score and above. The result also showed that for the both institutions, gaps were noticed in watershed management in the state. It equally revealed that between the community-based and government-based institutions, there is little or no links and respectively) and that inter- ministerial linkages and interdisciplinary linkages with communities for quarterly meeting is the needed link between those institutions. It further revealed that enacting laws was considered the most needed role in watershed management; while Anambra state Agricultural Development Project was identified as the needed new institution for watershed management. This suggest the need for extension organization to organize training for its staff in the aspect of watershed and teach them verified techniques that involves best Agricultural Management practices which should be taught to farmers who farm within the watersheds and to coordinate the role among all the institution agencies and ministries that are stakeholders in watershed management.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Water covers about 71% of the earth’s surface, and is always present to some extent in the atmosphere. Over two thirds of earth’s surface is covered with water (United Nations, 2001). Water supplies many good services essential to human health and well being among which are water for drinking, agricultural and industrial production, water for transportation, recreation, hydroelectric power generation, and natural habitat for aquatic plants and animals. The role and importance of water to man is indispensable. As a matter of fact, life and death of every living thing depend on water.
Water can make or mar our life depending on how it occurs and how it is managed (UN-Water/Africa, 2004). When it is too little or insufficient, it will kill us faster than starvation. Both plants and animals depend on water and lack of it can both dehydration and starvation. Nevertheless, irrespective of the mode of occurrence, it can be an instrument for poverty alleviation and economic recovery, if properly managed. Otherwise, it results in poor health and low productivity, of both plants and animals, which will in turn lead to food insecurity and constrained economic development (Obiora, 2006). Thus what we get out of water depends greatly upon what we put into it in terms of management; and how water is managed in particular basins and individual watersheds is the key to sustainable water management (Lant, 1999, Jackson et al 2001). The availability and quantity of this precious but infinite natural resource depend largely on its watershed (U.S. EPA, 2003).
The area that supplies water to a stream and its tributaries by direct runoff and by ground water runoff is the drainage area or watershed for the stream (Douglas et al.,
1989). Watershed is also area of land that draws into a body of water such as stream, lake,
river or ocean; it is separated from other watersheds by high points in the areas such as hills or slopes. It includes not only the water ways itself but also the entire land area that drains to it (SFWMD, 2004). In effect, rain felling in a watershed flows downhill and eventually reaches the stream at the bottom (Shukla (2004). According to Gelt (1998); Swallow et al, (2001), Shukla (2004), terms like catchment or drainage basin are also used to refer to watersheds, the term river basin sometimes is used synonymously with watershed.
Watershed management has become a prominent approach to natural resource management (NRM) in Australia and elsewhere in the world like Nepal USA etc. In the Australian State of New South Wales (NSW); catchments management, the NSW watershed management initiative has been in place both in coastal and non-coastal areas for nearly two decades.
Institutions are humanly devised constraints on behaviour made up of formal rules (constitutions, laws, contracts etc, informal rules (norms, cultures etc) and the enforcement characteristic of both (Badami, 2004). According to Igbokwe (2005) an institution is an enduring complex of norms, roles, values, beliefs and sanctions encompassing a prescribed aspect of human life. Institution can also mean that rules and norms guiding a community or a society. According to Saravanan (2001), institutions are the rules and organizations including informal norms that co-ordinate human behaviours. Thus, they could range from groups of farmers or persons organized to achieve a specific goal to formal organization such as research, educational or governmental establishments.
Before the advent of the colonial administration in Nigeria, most communities have different traditional methods for cleaning water surroundings. In Anambra State, most communities had traditional institutions who in the past had helped manage the watersheds. Among which are the men and women groups, the village/town unions, the
age grade and the youth associations. Nevertheless, there were roles expected of these varied institutions and there were also norms that guided the use and utilization of watershed. Such roles and norms included that at the end of a prescribed period, the youth will go to waterways and even dredge them. Women usually do the cleaning/sweeping of the waterways in some communities. Moreover, indiscriminate cutting down of trees and hunting of some animal species were also prohibited around the watersheds (Obiora,
2006). As modernization continues the traditional institutions are gradually being transformed into modern institutions such as the Ministry of Water Resource and Rural Development, FADAMA Projects were also established within the watershed, Engineering, sub-programme; Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (ASADP), Directorate for Food Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI), Federal Ministry of Environment (formally FEDA). Anambra State Environment Protection Agency; all these institutions were established as a result of watershed; however their capacity in watershed management in the state is arguable.
1.2 Problem Statement
According to Enwelu (2007) a lot of excavation activities are going on within and around the watersheds in Enugu State. The situation is compounded by lack of adequate rules and regulations guiding the use of watersheds in the communities. Consequently indiscriminate felling of trees, excavation of sands/stones, fishing with chemicals, grazing of animals, building of houses, fuelwood exploration etc will lead to degradation of watershed resources needed for production of crops and animals highly needed for food security. Similarly the same scenario is observed in Anambra State and this calls for proper management of the watersheds.
In a wider dimension, the situation in Africa is worrisome because there are cases of water scarcity, water resource pollution, human health and safety, aquatic ecosystem
integrity, water bodies drying up and prediction that by 2025 most communities will be water stressed (Lant, 1999; Jackson et al., 2001; Obasi, 2003). The incidence above has been blamed partly on poor management of the watershed environment (United Nation – Water/Africa 2004). This is true because the watersheds determine the quality and quantity of the water resources (Cogels, 2004). The agricultural activities in the watersheds has impact on our water resources by increasing soil erosion that deposited sediments into base reservoirs leading to dry up of water bodies and the introduction of chemicals (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides etc) into the aquatic system affecting the water quality (Ward et al., 1994). Therefore, the effective management of water resources to ensure sustainability will only be holistic if watersheds are properly managed.
Population growth, increasing industrial and agricultural practices in some parts Enugu State likewise Anambra State have not only led to environmental degradation at some of the watersheds in the states but also affected the flow of water in the watersheds. Moreover, the chemical run-off with the watershed contributed health hazards to human beings and the aquatic animals. Also increased run-off leads to more flooding after rains and flood carriers and deposits sediments into the rivers which in turn leads to drying out of the watersheds (Obiora, 2006).
Ingwu  (nd)  highlighted  the  effect  of modernization  on watershed  states.  They noted that apart from construction  of new life styles and new tastes have  emerged  as people are becoming more exposed to western cultures, the process of acculturation is on the increase. New life styles and new tastes have led to increased deforestation and water pollution. The local economy has become commercialized. The local products (firewood, fish, bush meat, water) that used to be obtained largely for personal and subsistence use have all become commodities which are regularly bought and sold. People are changing their habits. Modern/new  life styles cause us to exploit and use twice as much  natural resources including water as our grand parents did.
Watershed management project evaluation have generally identified institutional weaknesses at three levels which include (1) inappropriate national economic policies, funding, commitment etc, (2) lack of integrating local institutions and (3) failure to recognize and effectively promote cooperation among watershed landholders (Brooks et al. 1999).
Since watershed management remains the most effective way to enhance water quality and quantity, protect critical wildlife habitat, prevent soil erosion and sustain economic activities, the following questions become pertinent in this study. (i) What are the existing traditional and modern institutions involved in watershed management in Anambra State. (ii) What are their roles in management of watersheds? (iii) Are there linkages existing between the institutions involved in watershed management? (iv) What are the problems militating against management of watersheds in Anambra State and the possible solutions?
1.3 Objectives of the study
The broad objective of the study is to ascertain the role of institutions in watershed management in Anambra State.
The specific objectives are to
1. identify both traditional and modern institutions involved in the watershed management;
2. identify the existing roles of the institutions in watershed management;
3. ascertain linkages existing and/or needed linkage among the institutions involved in the management of watersheds;
4. identify problems associated with watershed management; and
5. proffer solutions to the problems associated with watershed management;
1.4 Justification of the Study
Rainfed agriculture in Nigeria is characterized by low productivity, degraded natural resources and widespread poverty, as a result of poor watershed management. This study therefore will help to creating more public awareness on the role of institutions in watershed management. It will also provide knowledge on the need to preserve biodiversity to maintain ecological balance. Local based institutions will find this work as a sensitizing phenomenon on their role in effective watershed management for agricultural productivity. Academicians and researchers will also find in this research, a valuable document for research, information and knowledge purposes.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
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