New Delhi, Oct 16, 2024: Hundreds of volunteers across villages engaged in building watershed structures, tree plantations, and took out awareness rallies as part of the centenary birth anniversary celebrations of Father Hermann Bacher -- popularly known as the ‘father of community-led watershed development in India’ -- organised by the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR).
Hermann Bacher passed away at the ripe old age of 97 years in Switzerland September 14, 2021. This year marks the centenary of the visionary who dedicated his life to rural development in India.
Known affectionately as "Bacher Baba," he arrived in India in 1948 and spent the next six decades working tirelessly to transform the lives of marginalised farmers and drought-affected communities.
Father Bacher's innovative approach to watershed development and sustainable agriculture laid the foundation for a revolution in rural India's socio-economic landscape. The Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), which he co-founded, commemorated his legacy through a series of events across the country that not only honoured Father Bacher's remarkable contributions but also reinforced the enduring impact of his work on millions of rural lives.
On October 11, WOTR's state teams participated in a nationwide shramdaan (voluntary labour) initiative. Hundreds of participants across villages engaged in building watershed structures, tree plantations, and taking out awareness rallies, embodying Father Bacher's values of community collaboration and environmental stewardship.
Prakash Keskar, Executive Director of WOTR, said, "Shramdaan Diwas, introduced three years ago to celebrate Father Bacher's birthday, should one day become a movement (jal aandolan). In the last three years, 18,000 people from 300 WOTR villages have participated in shramdaan, and we will be taking it forward as a way of honouring Fr. Bacher’s legacy."
A special phygital event featuring anecdotes, reflections, and tributes was held on October 13, and brought together individuals from WOTR, ex-NABARD members, partner NGOs, and Father Bacher's family and friends.
Crispino Lobo, who co-founded WOTR with Father Bacher and is its present Managing Trustee, highlighted his revolutionary approach: "Father Bacher always believed in empowering people to help themselves. He wasn't just offering aid; he was enabling communities to rise out of poverty through self-reliance."
Born in Switzerland in 1924, Father Bacher arrived in India in 1948 as a Jesuit priest. Settling in Maharashtra's drought-prone Ahmednagar district, he dedicated himself to addressing rural India's socio-economic challenges.
His key achievements include establishing the Social Centre in Shrirampur, Maharashtra (1966); pioneering community-led watershed management (1981); conceptualising and launching the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP) in 1989; co-founding WOTR (1993).
WOTR has impacted over 7,000 villages, reaching 6.93 million people across India. The organisation has trained over 700,000 individuals from India and abroad in climate-resilient agriculture, integrated watershed development, and community empowerment.
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