The Guidelines describe a wide range of potential activities that may be used at different times over the complete project cycle from problem identification to post project evaluation. Most emphasis is placed on the critical stages leading to project formulation.
The Guidelines are divided into two main sections:
Section I: Approaches to catchment management
This section describes the mechanisms of catchment degradation, different approaches to catchment planning and the lessons learnt from the relatively poor record of success of soil conservation programmes in developing countries. It briefly reviews the potential costs and benefits associated with catchment management projects and concludes with a summary of the planning framework, which forms the second part of the guidelines.
Section II: Framework for participatory planning
The stages of project planning, preparation, formulation and implementation are described in turn, placing emphasis on the role and participation of the project stakeholders at each stage. Monitoring and Evaluation are also covered in detail.
More detailed information on methods and procedures is provided in the appendices, covering:
Components of land degradation
Sources and analysis of secondary data
Characterising recommendation domains
Informal surveys for assessing farm household characteristics
Farmer to farmer dissemination.
HR Wallingford, UK. 110 pp.