In 1948, Father Hermann Bacher, a young and spirited Jesuit priest of 24, arrived at the shores of India and was moved by the agonizing poverty he saw. Committing to improving the lives of the impoverished, the landless, and women in rural India, he stayed on for the next 60 years, inspiring and empowering villagers to tackle poverty by conserving water – every drop of it. On the 14th of September 2021, he passed away at the age of 97 in Switzerland.
Father Bacher was widely regarded and respected as a true ‘man of God’ for his selfless service of the poor who called him ‘Bacher Baba’.
Maharashtra – His Karmabhoomi
The famine-like conditions, extreme water scarcity, distress migration, and widespread unemployment that plagued Maharashtra in 1972 had a tremendous impact on Bacher, leading him to shift his attention from “resource exploitation” to “resource mobilisation,” i.e., from over-extraction of groundwater to catching rainwater wherever it fell and conserving it to recharge the groundwater level.
Watershed development measures starting from the hilltops, across landscapes, and down to the valleys – from “ridge-to-valley” – were the only option to achieve this transition. Planting trees and grasses, preserving forests, doing soil and water conservation work (such as excavating contour trenches, elevating agricultural bunds, and so on), and constructing water collecting structures were all part of the plan.
Since the 1960s, he has assisted farmers in Maharashtra in leveling and bunding their fields, digging wells, installing pumps, and constructing Lift Irrigation Schemes, among other things. In addition, he organised farmers to help them develop their farms and raise agricultural output by providing irrigation, relevant agricultural technologies.
He committed his life to uplift the impoverished, landless, and rural women, particularly in the drought-stricken Ahmednagar area.
He never asked another person to do something he wouldn’t do himself. He always set high standards. No work was too low for him.
Imambhai Pathan of Mendhvan village in Ahmednagar district recollects Fr. Bacher’s love for nature, including earth, water and flora and fauna, and said, “He gave us the message of Soil and Water conservation and tree plantation. He urged us to take care of them like our own children. The trees he planted on my land have grown up to 40 ft high and apart from the ecosystem services they provide, they are also a source of economic benefits.”
Participatory Watershed Development
At the age of 65, he designed and launched the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme (IGWDP) in Maharashtra, with the help and support of the Governments of India, Maharashtra, and Germany, as well as NABARD, WOTR, and the NGO sector.
Umesh Chandra Sarangi, former Chief Additional Secretary, Government of Maharashtra and former Chairman of NABARD recently at the memorial service said, “The IGWDP lead to the establishment of the Watershed Development Fund at NABARD. It has helped to benefit millions of people in 19 states”.
Fr. Bacher was adamant that “Watershed Development” was the only way to catalyse a “people’s movement” in Maharashtra and across the country. “Those who benefit must be responsible for the same–if they are to remain invested in and own the initiative, they must implement, manage funds, and be held accountable for outcomes,” he asserted.
The Deputy Director, Mr. Suryakumar P.V.S had dropped a beautiful comment on LinkedIn: “In Telugu, there is a phrase to describe people like Fr Bacher, “Karana Janmudu” which means those who take birth to accomplish a task”.
Leaving a legacy
Fr. Bacher brought joy to the poor, by helping them revive their lands, motivating and guiding them and setting up Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR). Fr. Bacher, with Crispino Lobo, formed the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR) to promote, support, coordinate, and enhance the capacities of participants in the IGWDP. Now, WOTR has become a globally recognised organisation dedicated to transforming the lives of millions of poor across India by working at the intersection of practice, knowledge and policy to ensure food, water, livelihoods and income security to disadvantaged communities on a sustainable basis. Over 4.3 million people have been impacted by WOTR and its associates have undertaken and supported developmental works in over 5,200 villages across nine states, with watershed development projects covering over 3.6 million acres as of March 2021.
It is through his work and WOTR; Fr Bacher’s legacy lives on. He is leaving behind a legacy of high standards of commitment, dedication and passion for transforming the lives of the poor in rural India. Father Backer, who knew several languages, spent most of his life among the poor people and worked towards elevating their lives through his watershed management methods.
Widely recognized for his simplicity, his comprehensive knowledge, his love and dedication to uplifting the underprivileged, his distinctive ability to encourage humans to take action, and he left an indelible impression on millions of individuals.
Speaking at the memorial service Prakash Keskar, Executive Director WOTR said, – who has worked closely with Fr. Bacher, “The mantra given by Fr. Bacher “If not here, then where? If not now, then when? If not you, then who?” will help us continue our journey in the future.”
His selfless service to the poor became the pinnacle of adoration. People called him ‘Bacher Baba’.
(CopyRight@IndiaCSR)
