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Treadle pump project expands across
Northern India
International Development Enterprises
(IDE-I) won last years Climate Care
Ashden Award for Enterprise. Their
simple foot-powered water pump is
empowering subsistence farmers in India
with reliable irrigation for their
crops, freeing them from the risk and
expense of hiring diesel pumps.
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Climate Care is working with
IDE-I to expand their programme
in 6 states in Northern India.
The project is being submitted
for accreditation under the
Voluntary Gold Standard,
launched in May 2006. Backed by
NGOs such as Greenpeace, the
Standard demonstrates real
reductions in carbon emissions
alongside tangible benefits to
local communities. We hope that
this project will be one of the
first in the world to meet the
Standard.
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The Pyari family with their
treadle pump
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We had the privilege of visiting
the project in April. Mrs Ram
Pyari (pictured right) explained
how life for her family had been
transformed with better crops,
improved health and more money.
For farmers struggling on the
poverty line, the doubling or
tripling of annual income that
the pump brings more than
justifies its name as the
Farmers Friend.
It could also be named the Climates
Friend, with each pump saving over half
a tonne of CO2 per year about the same
as a 3 bedroom semi in the UK saves
through fitting double-glazing. This is
through displacing diesel use with human
power.
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