INTRODUCTION

In the remote pockets of Ganjam district in Odisha, there exist villages where electricity supply and canal irrigation to the agricultural fields is unavailable. With the ground water level at a depth of 60 feet, coupled with the poor economic status of farmers in these areas, the very use of water pumps for irrigation is a far-fetched idea. In the absence of basic necessity for crop cultivation, the marginal farmers refrain themselves from growing year round crops. They are constrained to grow rainfed paddy each year.

REQUIREMENT & APPROACH

To address the irrigation woes of these farmers, a local NGO organization – Indian Grameen Services – opted for a sustainable community development solution. They suggested an intervention wherein 10-15 marginal farmers could be benefited per system. They partnered with Claro Energy specialising in solar water pumping solutions for two such villages. Claro Energy’s team carried out an extensive site assessment, understood the need and proposed 2 HP submersible systems – one for each location.

The systems installed are being operated on a daily basis by the farmer group which has prepared a schedule for each one’s usage. As the IGS aims at a sustainable development, they have encouraged the farmer group to collect agreed usage charges which subsequently shall be deposited in a joint account. The money thus collected shall then be used for the group’s agricultural development.

IMPACT

• The farmers have been empowered to grow multiple crops which can serve as a potential source of additional income.
• Community development resulting in improved standard of living of the associated farmers