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Products & Technologies
Low
Cost Water Lifting Technology for Small Farmers - A
Tool for Poverty Reduction
Fast
becoming a rare commodity, water is undoubtedly the
sine qua non for all irrigation activities, worldwide.
Particularly in India, an unpredictable monsoon coupled
with an increasing demand for food production (at the
self-sustenance as well as commercial levels) has induced
an imperative need for irrigation options other than
those that are either extremely laborious and time consuming
or simply too expensive for the small and marginal farmer.
So, while the rich farmer banks on costly systems such
as electric and diesel pumps to extract groundwater
for irrigating their large acres of land, the small
and marginal farmer has no option other than using the
tedious traditional water lifting devices, such
as tenda, dhekuli, sena, tar and don to
irrigate their smallholdings.
Over
the years, IDEI has worked to improve the livelihoods
of the rural poor through promoting appropriate, affordable
income generating technologies leading to additional
wealth creation for the marginalised farmer. The low
cost water lifting technology, also called the treadle
pump, developed and promoted by IDEI has several key
advantages over the traditional water lifting devices
and the costly diesel and electric pumps vis-a-vis the
smallholder farmer. Of paramount significance is the
affordability factor which makes this technology accessible
for the smallholder. The treadle pump is
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Low
Cost Water Lifting Technology : Some Facts
The
treadle pump (commonly known as pedal pump) is a water-lifting
device similar in principle to the hand pump. The difference
lies in the fact that a hand pump consists of a single
barrel or cylinder and one has to pump up water with
one's hands, whereas the pedal pump comprises two cylinders
and requires foot operation for lifting water (hence
called a pedal pump). It is so easy that even a child,
a woman or even an old person can operate the pump by
manipulating his/her body weight on two foot pedals
or treadles and by holding a bamboo or wooden frame
for support. One may even make a comfortable sitting
arrangement and pedal while being seated.
Currently
IDE (India) is promoting four models of the pump in
keeping with the distinct soil, water and income conditions
in the different regions of operation. They are:
1. 3.
5 inch pump (metal barrels) with bamboo treadles
2. 3.
5 inch pump (metal barrels) with metal treadles
3. 5
inch pump (metal barrels) with metal treadles
4. 5
inch concrete pump (PVC sleeves) with wooden pedals
5. 3.
5 inch Surface Treadle Pump (STP)
The
treadle pump is ideal for areas where the water table
is high, ranging from 10 feet to 25 feet below the ground.
The pump is usually installed on 1.5" tube wells
(made of GI, PVC or bamboo) but can also be fitted on
3" and 4" tube wells (by using relevant reducer
sockets) that are meant for installing electric and
diesel pumps respectively. Besides, most of the models
of the treadle pump can be used for drawing surface
water, such as from ponds, canals, streams and dug wells
(by connecting a suction pipe to the pump with a GI
bend pipe).
The
treadle pump is appropriate for irrigating about one
acre of cultivable land and hence is ideal for vegetable
cultivation. However, farmers use the pump to cultivate
paddy and even wheat in some areas. Treadle pump is
best suited for small and marginal farmers.
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WATER
SAVING TECHNOLOGY
Affordable Drip Irrigation
Technology Intervention (ADITI) - A Tool for Poverty
Reduction
Scarce water resources and/or a lack of control over
water are pervasive constraints facing a large number
of the rural poor worldwide. As such appropriate, affordable,
and accessible irrigation technology can provide a much
needed premise for increased agricultural production
and income generation.
For
the large population of small and marginal farmers,
the high initial cost of drip irrigation has been found
to be a major deterrent in the spread of drip irrigation.
IDEI recognized that drip irrigation systems used on
larger commercial farms are expensive, complicated to
operate and maintain and not divisible to fit small
plots. In other words, the prevalent drip systems are
neither appropriate nor affordable for the marginal
farmers who then have no choice but to revert to the
conventional flood irrigation system. In response to
these constraints, beginning in 1997, IDEI started working
on low cost drip technology and developed a variety
of low-cost drip irrigation kits and customized systems
that are appropriately sized and affordable for smallholders.
KB drip systems promoted by IDEI, besides being affordable
for the marginal farmer, offers several advantages over
the conventional flood irrigation.
Affordable
Drip Irrigation Technology Intervention (ADITI) : Some
Facts
IDEI
has developed affordable micro irrigation technologies
to meet the needs and aspirations of marginalised farmers.
ADITI works better for small farmers because:
-
the
technologies have been developed for small and marginal
farmers through four years of rigorous R&D and
field testing;
-
the
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;
-
IDE
sources components from a large number of manufacturers
and uses the most cost-effective ones; and
-
IDE
also tests all the MI components developed and available
all over the country and uses the ones most appropriate
for small farmer's requirements.
IDEI
is currently promoting KB drip systems in the form of
kits in the water scarce regions in India. They are:
New
Product Development
IDEI's approach to development begins with new products.
However, IDEI does not invent such products, rather
it looks at products that meet the existing needs of
marginal farmers, and seek to adapt such products by
reducing their cost and enhancing their utility. IDEI's
main objective is firstly a product that can be manufactured,
distributed and sold at a cost reasonable for a small
producer, and secondly, a product that can return its
investment cost 100 per cent in the first season of
use.
IDEI identifies potential new products through a process
called Product Identification and Commercialisation
(PIC) through which a variety of potential products
are identified, field-tested, developed and subsequently
brought to the market. Following is a brief preview
of products currently under development:
-
Low
Cost Water Storage
-
UV
Solar light
-
Micro
Diesel
-
Low
Cost Gassifier
- Rope
& Washer Pump
- Pressure
Pump
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