In News:

The National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) convened a meeting to deliberate on the Draft National Technical Guidelines (NTG) for Improved Watershed Management under the REWARD Programme, aimed at promoting climate-resilient and science-based watershed development.

What is the REWARD Programme?

The REWARD (Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through Innovative Development) Programme is a World Bank-assisted watershed development programme implemented by the Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development, in collaboration with the States of Karnataka and Odisha.

Implemented during 2021–2026, the programme seeks to modernize watershed management by integrating scientific approaches, strengthening institutional capacity, and enhancing climate resilience in rainfed agricultural areas.

Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Strengthen the capacity of national and state institutions for improved watershed management.
• Enhance the resilience of farmers to climate change.
• Promote sustainable agricultural practices and support value-chain development in selected watersheds.
• Introduce modern, science-based watershed management techniques.

Implementation Mechanism

The REWARD Programme is financed through the World Bank's Program-for-Results (PforR) financing instrument. Under this model, financial assistance is released based on the achievement of Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs), ensuring that funding is directly linked to measurable outcomes and institutional performance.

Key Result Areas

The programme focuses on two major result areas:

1. Strengthening institutions and policy frameworks for watershed development.
2. Science-based watershed management to improve climate resilience, natural resource conservation, and sustainable livelihoods.