Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) is a globally recognised organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of millions of poor villagers across India through participatory watershed development and ecosystems restoration, climate resilient sustainable agriculture, integrated and efficient water management and climate change adaptation, with a special emphasis on building resilience of vulnerable communities, farmers, and women. WOTR was established in 1993 and is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, India.
We have a team of 209 people, many of them highly qualified and experienced who are committed to leave their footprints on the road to development and social transformation. These individuals bring to WOTR a diverse range of expertise in areas such as the social sciences, watershed technology, finance, media, administration and so on.
As of September 30, 2020, WOTR has worked in 3,754 villages and has impacted over 3.8 million people cumulatively since 1993. These figures cover projects in all its areas of implementation, trainings and capacity building activities.
OUR WORK COVERS FOLLOWING THEMES
THE WOTR CENTRE FOR RESILIENCE STUDIES (W-CReS)
As an organisation committed to applied research, WOTR has established the WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS) in Pune. W-CReS focuses on engaging with institutional and other stakeholders so that the learnings from ground experience and research programmes can translate and contribute to shaping effective policies and programmes.
THE WOTR GROUP
WOTR has also promoted 3 other non-profit institutions: the Sampada Trust (ST), the Sanjeevani Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development (SIED) and Sampada Entrepreneurship and Livelihoods Foundation (SELF). All these 4 institutions together comprise the WOTR Group and they collectively have supported interventions in 4,827 villages and have impacted 3.7 million people, as of March 31, 2019.
A brief history of WOTR
WOTR’s mandate is to reduce poverty through community mobilization for sustainable watershed development and integrated rural development. WOTR grew out of the Indo-German Watershed Development Project (IGWDP) launched in 1989 by Father Hermann Bacher, who is considered the father of the participatory watershed movement in India.
Established in 1993 to coordinate and provide support to the Indo-German Watershed Management Programme (IGWDP)
1993
Established in 1993 to coordinate and provide support to the Indo-German Watershed Management Programme (IGWDP)
Training centre at Darewadi village established in 2000. Later renamed as the Fr. Hermann Bacher Learning Centre
2000
Training centre at Darewadi village established in 2000. Later renamed as the Fr. Hermann Bacher Learning Centre
. . .
Establishes the Sampada Trust in 2002 to assist women and SHGs in the area of skills and capacity enhancement
2002
Establishes the Sampada Trust in 2002 to assist women and SHGs in the area of skills and capacity enhancement
Consultancy projects in Africa begin with Somaliland in 2007 and also extend to Somaliland, Kenya, Tanzania
2007
Consultancy projects in Africa begin with Somaliland in 2007 and also extend to Somaliland, Kenya, Tanzania
. . .
President of Germany visits Darewadi village in 2009 in recognition of its transformation under the Indo German Watershed Development Programme
2009
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President of Germany visits Darewadi village in 2009 in recognition of its transformation under the Indo German Watershed Development Programme
First SMS locale specific Agro-advisory issued in 2012
2012
First SMS locale specific Agro-advisory issued in 2012
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WOTR established its Research Unit as WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS), 2016
2016
WOTR established its Research Unit as WOTR Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS), 2016
WOTR was awarded the prestigious Land for Life award by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2017
2017
WOTR was awarded the prestigious Land for Life award by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2017
. . .