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| Abbreviation | WOTR |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 20, 1993 |
| Founders | Hermann Bacher, Crispino Lobo |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Coordinates | 18°28′42″N 73°51′25″E / 18.47836°N 73.85687°E |
Region served | India |
Executive Director | Prakash Keskar |
| Website | wotr |
The Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) is a non-profit organisation headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Founded in 1993, it works in the areas of watershed development, climate adaptation and community-based natural resource management programmes across India. Its programmes span several Indian states and cover themes including water and land management, agriculture, women's empowerment, health, nutrition, and sanitation.[1]
History
editWOTR was established on 20 December 1993 by Hermann Bacher, a Swiss Jesuit priest, and Crispino Lobo.[2][3] The organisation was created as the capacity-building and support institution for the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP), a joint initiative launched in 1989 in response to the 1972 drought in Maharashtra, which focused on community-led soil and water conservation and the establishment of a Watershed Development Fund in India.
Over subsequent decades, WOTR expanded its work beyond watershed development to include climate adaptation, agriculture, livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, and applied rural development research. It has operated in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.[4]
According to WOTR's 2024–25 annual report, the organisation had worked across more than 7,635 villages in ten Indian states, with a reported reach of over 8.4 million people.[5]
WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies
editThe WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS) was initiated in 2007 and established as an autonomous unit in 2016.[6] It functions as WOTR's research unit, conducting applied research on rural and environmental issues through a transdisciplinary approach.
W-CReS has signed memoranda of understanding with government departments[7] and national and international institutions, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, the India Meteorological Department, and the Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture.[8]
Its activities include field-based research, development of planning and monitoring tools, and dissemination of research findings to stakeholders across sectors.[9]
Programmes
editWOTR's programmes are implemented through community participation, training, applied research, and partnerships with governments, academic institutions, donors, and civil society organisations.
Water and land management
editWOTR's natural resource management work includes watershed development, groundwater recharge, biodiversity conservation, and participatory water governance. Activities include soil and water conservation, afforestation, reforestation, aquifer management, and the implementation of village-level water budgeting systems. Journalists have reported on WOTR's water budgeting work in Maharashtra villages, describing how the organisation assists communities in measuring rainfall, calculating water reserves, and planning seasonal crop decisions accordingly.[10]
Agriculture
editWOTR's agricultural work focuses on rainfed farming areas and includes organic farming, soil health management, pest and disease management, fodder development, and water-efficient cultivation. The organisation has promoted farmer-producer companies (FPCs), processing units, produce collection centres, and market linkages. WOTR has also trained rural communities on watershed management in partnership with other organisations, including as part of the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup initiative.[11]
WOTR developed the FarmPrecise Android application,[12] which provides localised agro-meteorological and crop-specific advisories.[13]
Livelihoods
editWOTR's livelihood programmes operate in drought-prone and rainfed areas and include enterprise development, vocational training, micro-enterprise support, and producer group formation. The organisation has also undertaken activities in livestock management, poultry, aquaculture, and renewable energy.
Women's empowerment
editGender-focused activities are integrated across WOTR's programmes. These include the formation of self-help groups (SHGs), enterprise development, training, and exposure visits. The Mahila Sansadhan Kendra model links women farmers to farmer-producer companies.
Health, sanitation and nutrition
editWOTR implements health programmes covering sanitation, nutrition, anaemia prevention, access to safe drinking water, and child growth monitoring. Activities include health camps, menstrual hygiene awareness, toilet construction, kitchen gardens, and safe water systems.
Partnerships
editWOTR has collaborated with government bodies, universities, and research institutions. Independently reported partnerships include those with Wageningen University & Research,[14] and the Government of Maharashtra.[15] The organisation has also collaborated with WWF-India on climate action initiatives.[16]
Awards and recognition
edit- In 2017, WOTR received the Land for Life Award from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), in recognition of its work in reclaiming degraded lands through participatory watershed development.[17][18]
- WOTR has received the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Water Award on multiple occasions, including at the 9th Edition of the FICCI Water Awards, where it received the Joint Second Prize in the Water Initiatives by NGOs category.[19][20]
- In 2010, WOTR received the JSW–Times of India Earth Care Award in the category Community Based Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change.[21]
- In 2010, WOTR received the Dr Punjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Ratna Award in Maharashtra.[22]
- In 2009, WOTR received the Kyoto World Water Grand Prize (2nd edition) at the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey.[23]
- In 1994, co-founder Hermann Bacher received the Federal Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany.[24]
References
edit- ↑ Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar (25 September 2019). "As Droughts Spread Across India, So Does Water Budgeting". The Wire Science. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Swiss Jesuit Father Hermann Bacher, who worked on water management in India, dies at 97". Tribune India. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- ↑ "Father Hermann Bacher, the Father of community-led Watershed Development in India passed away". India CSR. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Land for Life Award". UNCCD. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Annual Report 2024-25: Roots & Resilience". WOTR. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS)". WOTR. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Government of Maharashtra signs MoU with WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS)". ET Edge Insights. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "WOTR and CRIDA sign Strategic MoU to Advance Dryland Agriculture". WOTR. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Rising Land Surface Temperature in Maharashtra Poses Urgent Environmental Concerns, According to W-CReS Analysis". Dev Discourse. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar (25 September 2019). "As Droughts Spread Across India, So Does Water Budgeting". The Wire Science. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ Nidhi Jamwal (12 June 2017). "Villages in Maharashtra Adopt Watershed Management to Drought-Proof Themselves". The Wire Science. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "FarmPrecise App". FarmPrecise. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "FarmPrecise app crosses 1 lakh downloads across Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh". The Hindu Businessline. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Watershed Organisation Trust". PreventionWeb. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Maharashtra and Watershed Organisation Trust sign MoU for ecosystem-based adaptation in climate policy". The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ↑ "Genpact Joins Forces with WWF-India and WOTR to Drive Climate Action in India". Genpact. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- ↑ "Land for Life Award". UNCCD. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Watershed organisation gets UN award". The Times of India. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
- ↑ "WOTR wins awards from FICCI and TERI-IWA-UNDP for its exceptional contribution in water resource management". India Education Diary. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "FICCI Water Awards". Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Watershed Organization Trust". Times Content. The Times of India. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Father Hermann Bacher, the Father of community-led Watershed Development in India passed away". India CSR. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Report of the 5th Kyoto World Water Grand Prize" (PDF). Japan Water Forum and World Water Council. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
- ↑ "Swiss Jesuit Father Hermann Bacher, who worked on water management in India, dies at 97". Tribune India. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
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