The sustainable conservation of natural resources has to be carried out on the following principles:

• An adequate amount of water available in a sustainable manner for future years has to be provided for the population.
• The quality of drinking water has to be maintained at a standard which allows all inhabitants to live in physical and mental well-being.
• The natural resources within the watershed has to be stabilised, protected and kept free from pollution.
• The productivity of resource utilisation has to be increased in an environmentally, economically and also institutionally sustainable manner.
• The economic development within the watershed has to take place in harmony with the environment.
• The local community has to participate in all stages of planning and implementation of development measures

(Förch and Schütt 2004 b; Heathcote 1998; Panda 2003).

'What can be reached by IWM' is explained on the following learning page.