WOTR Expands its footprint in Karnataka with Focus on Improving Farm-Based Livelihoods

WOTR, India's leading non-profit rural development organization, has expanded its reach to the southern Indian state of Karnataka. It has begun operations in the state's Aurad block of Bidar District. With the addition of Karnataka, WOTR now has projects in eight Indian states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.

The new project in Karnataka is focused on improving farm-based livelihoods through the watershed development approach. This project is being supported by Wells Fargo International Solutions Private Limited and is scheduled for three years. The activities which form part of the project include area treatment, drainage line treatment, promotion of water-saving technologies, soil testing, promotion of CRA Practices and agri-allied livelihood activities in the selected ten villages of Bidar district.

“Our foray into Karnataka is based on the ground research and needs assessments of the villages selected and the region at large. Conserving and strengthening the ecosystem to address the pressing issues faced by the village will form the crux of the project implementation. We are grateful to Wells Fargo, who share the common vision for a poverty-free rural India.” said WOTR’s Executive Director, Prakash Keskar on the new project.

Wells Fargo is committed to the inclusive and sustainable growth of communities in the regions where we work. Strengthening economic opportunities while also being environmentally sustainable has been a key focus of all our social interventions. WOTR’s strength of implementation in both these areas makes them a natural fit for this project,” added Arindam Banerji, Managing Director, Wells Fargo India & Philippines.

Established in 1993, WOTR is a globally recognized Indian non-profit organization that engages at the intersection of practice, knowledge and policy.  Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, WOTR works across scales and in collaboration with various stakeholders across sectors. It aims to ensure water and food availability, along with livelihoods and income security in order to support the sustainable growth and well-being of vulnerable and disadvantaged communities in rural India.

With a robust record of working along with state and central Governments, private CSR foundations and other philanthropic organizations, WOTR has executed successful many projects in collaboration with its partners. It has completed projects in over 5,500 villages across 10 states till now.  WOTR’s grassroots-level work has impacted more than 4.7 million people and it has trained over 607,000 people from across India and 63 countries and collaborated with 230 NGOs and Project Implementing Agencies (PIAs) and promoted over 16,000 SHGs involving 197,000 women.

WOTR’s major thrust areas include watershed development and ecosystem restoration, integrated water resources management, climate resilient agriculture, sustainable rural livelihoods, biodiversity, women empowerment and nutrition, health and sanitation. It aims to build a resilient rural community that enjoys a fulfilling quality of life within vibrant and sustainable ecosystems.

WOTR has been acclaimed on multiple occasions for its holistic ecosystem-based approach to tackle the key causes of rural poverty by rejuvenating ecosystems and building the community’s resilience to climate change. Enhancing the availability of water, increasing the productivity of land and agriculture, diversifying livelihoods, empowering women, and strengthening the health and well-being of vulnerable rural communities have been some of the major outcomes of WOTR’s projects till date.