Introduction
IDEI has been working consistently for the smallholder farmers in India. Since water for irrigation is the primary constraint for these farmers we have focused our innovation to design the equipments to irrigate the field efficiently resulting in a better yield and year round cropping. With the use of IDEI promoted technologies user farmers are able to generate net additional income of USD 400 per year (year after year). It has enabled these farmers to experience a new dimension of life by spending the extra earning on their children’s education, providing their family with nutritious diet, buying livestock etc.
In addition to these, IDEI’s efforts to help connect these smallholder farmers with output market is leading to their enhanced market participation.
IDEI has developed two flagship technologies that are used by smallholder farmers to irrigate their land and these are:
1) Treadle Pump (Water Lifting Devices): A Treadle Pump is a foot operated lifting device used for pumping water from a maximum depth up to 8 metre. A treadle is a lever device pressed by the foot to drive a machine, in this case a pump.
2) Drip Irrigation Systems (Water Application Devices): Also known as micro-irrigation, it is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters.
With a strong vision and a well articulated mission statement, we have reached out to over one million small hold farmers (cumulatively 6 Million people) across 17 states in India and have enabled them to lead a life of dignity and respect that they so rightfully deserve.
The availability of these less expensive irrigation technologies has proved to be a boon to these small holder farmers.