A recent study - "Linking Community-Based Water and Forest Management for Sustainable Livelihoomds of Poor in Fragile Catchments of the Indus-Ganges Basin' - conducted by People Science Institute (PSI) here, shows a remarkable shift from farm- based to non-farm activities in Hilaungad Watershed of Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand. Only 14 per cent people are still practising agriculture, a figure which was 51 per cent 10 years ago. PSI in partnership with the department of irrigation (DOI), Nepal, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), New York, Institute of Water and Human Resource Development (IWHRD), Nepal, and International Water Managment Institute (IWMI), Sri Lanka, conducted the study. The objective of the study was to undertake watershed-based planning for integrated management of natural resources for livelihood security. Studies were undertaken in Nepal and Uttarakhand, including activities such as identification of innovative legal, policy and institutional framework, assessment of local resource base, its management and relationship to local livelihoods at a community level, examination and scaling up action. Six villages were selected in upper, middle and lower slopes of Hilaungad watershed, located in Jkholi block of Rudraprayag. The decreasing forest cover in these areas was also brought to notice. There was an emphasis on gram panchayats and van panchayats. Ravi Chopra, Director of CPWD, under the PSI, said: "The people in the identified areas are drifting away from agriculture which is a matter of concern for the state government. Only 14 per cent of the people rely on agriculture and the rest have other resources.' "The major cause of this drift is the poor natural resources. Therefore, the government should take immediate steps for improvement of natural resources, which will in turn help better agricultural productivity.' The recommendations of the study will soon be sent to Uttarakhand government for further action.