Afordable Drip Irrigation Technology Intervention Program (ADITI)

IDE (India)'s Drip irrigation programme in India started in 1997 to address the irrigation problems of small and marginal farm families living in water scarce regions of India. . Drip irrigation is a water-saving technology which enables slow and regular application of water directly to the roots of the plants through a network of economically designed plastic pipes and low discharge emitters. It maximizes crop productivity through increase in the crop yield and also the area for cultivation, and protect the environment through conserving soil, water and fertilizer resources, and thus increasing the farmer income.

IDEI has suitably adapted this technology to meet the needs of poor farm families by making the technology simpler and affordable.

As part of this adaptation process IDEI came out with ADITI (affordable drip irrigation technology intervention) in the form of simple and ready-to-use packaged kits that can be broadly classified as bucket kit, drum kit, Easy drip and Customized kit. Till date IDEI has facilitated the sale of more than 295,000 Drip Irrigation kits

~ Affordability to farmers
~ Need for low cost drip systems
~ Areas of implementation
~ Drip Irrigation activities

Affordability to farmers

Though Drip Irrigation as a water-saving technology, comprising drip and sprinkler irrigation, existed in India and elsewhere for over fifteen years, it was not appropriate and affordable for small and marginal farm families. Hence the key task of IDEI during 1997-2000 period was to adapt this technology to suit the needs of poor farm families and, more importantly, to make the technology affordable. Conventional technologies have a high capital cost, high tech in nature making it complicated to install and maintain. Further there is a severe lack of efficient market supply chain in rural areas to develop, manufacture, install and maintain micro irrigation systems appropriate to India's small and marginal farmers.

IDEI has suitably adapted this technology to meet the needs of poor farm families by making the technology simpler and affordable.

As part of this adaptation process IDEI came out with ADITI (affordable drip irrigation technologies) in the form of simple and ready-to-use packaged kits that can be broadly classified as bucket kit, drum kit, Easy drip and Customized kit. Till date IDEI has facilitated the sale of more than 295,000 Drip Irrigation kits.

ADITI kits have been designed for a range of crops and are quite suitable for small and marginal farmers of the semi arid regions in India. Also, these kits are applicable in a wide range of plot sizes varying from 20 square meters to 1000 square meters, with prices ranging from Rs.250 to Rs.4000. Divisible and available in convenient packages (in the form of kits) which the farmers can install and maintain themselves, the farmers also have the option to begin with one unit and expand it later at their convenience; Tests in all the regions have confirmed its average discharge uniformity of 85%.

Benefits to Farmers

More than 70% of Indian farmers are small scale operators cultivating plots less than one hectare. Irratic rainfall pattern play havoc into the the livelihoods of the small farmers who do not have any alternate supply of water. They are largely constrained due to the absence of simple and low cost irrigation technologies suited to small plots which can be managed by themselves. The present technologies are expensive and fit for use in large fields by big farmers.

IDEI promoted drip irrigation kits cost almost 80% cheaper than the conventional drip kits and thus bring about a shift from subsistence farming to higher value production farming doubling the income of the poor farmers , enhancing household food security in addition to improvement in nutritional status of farm families.

The drip irrigation technology frees the farmer from the limitations of rain fed farming, enabling him to grow wider variety of crops, cultivate all the year round, higher cropping intensity and do priority farming. Good irrigation technologies and agricultural practices coupled with enhanced participation of the poor in the markets is the key to income generation. Income dimension is important because it has the potential to buffer the poor communities against the stresses and shocks they encounter due to environmental changes. By putting the income generating technologies in the hands of the smallholders we tend to address the land and water constraints that have forced them to remain poor, and bring a significant and everlasting change into their lives

Areas of implementation

Drip Irrigation has been rigorously tested with sericulture farmers in south India, watershed projects in south India, cotton farmers in Madhya Pradesh, vegetable growers and agri-input dealers in Himachal Pradesh, small farmers and landless women in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Besides, Drip Irrigation kits have been test-marketed in selected districts of Maharashtra and Gujarat for growing fruits and vegetables. Currently IDE (India) is promoting Drip Irrigation kits in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttaranchal (Click on Operational Areas to know about IDE's current field operations.)

Drip Irrigation activities

Product testing and test marketing have been carried out simultaneously, and till date IDEI has facilitated sale of more than 295,000 drip irrigation kits.

• These technologies have been developed through rigorous R&D and field testing for small and marginal farmers
• Also, these technologies are divisible and available in convenient packages (in the form of kits) which the farmers can install and maintain themselves; besides, the farmers have the option to begin with one unit and expand it later at their convenience;
• These kits are easily assembled by local farmer groups with little training and back-up support;
• IDEI sources components from a large number of manufacturers and uses the most cost-effective ones; and
• IDEI also tests all the Drip Irrigation components developed and available all over the country and uses the ones most appropriate for small farmer's requirements.

• Drip Irrigation Activities
• Develop products and service packages tailored to the needs of identified market segments.
• Both Static and Dynamic promotions are carried out (wall paintings, pamphlets, short campaigns, video van shows farmer meetings)for generating awareness about tech. Markets are created to make it viable for the private sector to deliver products as a business.
• Farmers participate in meetings and demonstrations to raise their constraints for input and output marketing. Separate meetings and demonstrations are held with women at convenient locations and timings and their opinions are taken to incorporate their interests. They are addressed specifically as customers and are included in all capacity building programs. All promotions take place in the local languages.
• Through partnership with grassroots NGOs who have good rapport with farmers, reaching the most needy and ignorant farmers and their wider participation can be ensured. Some innovative farmers to whom the other small farmers watch and follow them as they succeed act as opinion leaders during promotional meetings.
• We also work with NGOs working for watershed management and motivate them to incorporate drip program as a part of their SHG to establish it as a sustained activity for their Income Generation Program.
• Develop a profitable and penetrative private sector supply chain (comprising manufacturers, distributors, agri-input dealers, and agents) to produce, distribute and sell Drip Irrigation kits to ensure that the technology is available in all rural areas.
• We work with the private sector to develop and promote systems for small and marginal farmers and hence expand their scope of business. We stimulate a sustainable market which considers the poor farmers are viable customers and provides technology at a price that is affordable to them as well as fair to manufacturers and dealers.
• Engage in capacity building of channel partners and NGOs for promotional/demand creation activities.
  

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