Made in Humane Club
It has a relatively small proportion of its net sown area unirrigated, indicating poor irrigation demand. Overall, water availability for irrigation in the district (based on ground water development and long-term trends of water level decline) is within the safe limit, enhancing long-term sustainability of solar pumps. The district has a relatively high proportion of small and marginal farmers.
Deployment Approaches
| Approaches | Feasibility |
|---|---|
| Individually owned off-grid solar pumps | Limited Suitability |
| Solarisation of feeders | Limited Suitability |
| Solar based water as a service | Limited Suitability |
| Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps | Limited Suitability |
| Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps | Limited suitability |
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps
Limited Suitability
The district has ground water available within the safe limit, a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users, and a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit, but low crop revenue per holding. Greater support, either through subsidies or credit, would be required to enable farmers to adopt solar pumps.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 40,462 | 70 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 63,458 | 42 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 8.6 | 36 |
Solarisation of feeders
Limited Suitability
The district has a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, and its DISCOM incurs a high cost for supplying power. But, a relatively low penetration of electric pumps means that solarisation of the feeders would not help in increasing the deployment of solar for irrigation.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) | 6.54 | 80 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 2% | 21 |
| Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 0% | 0 |
Solar based water as a service
Limited Suitability
Groundwater availability in the district is within safe limit and the concentration of small and marginal farmers is comparatively high, but the proportion of unirrigated area is relatively low. A solar-based water service will have to compete with existing sources of irrigation.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Proportion of small and marginal cultivators | 93% | 71 |
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 10% | 13 |
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps
Limited Suitability
The district has groundwater availability within safe limit, a rather high concentration of marginal farmers, and a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers, but the proportion gross cropped area under horticulture crops is relatively low. Farmers should be incentivised to grow horticulture crops based on the agro-economic suitability of the region and market linkages to improve their revenue, making small sized pumps viable, by improving their capacity utilisation.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 5% | 44 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Proportion of marginal cultivators | 79% | 74 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 8.6 | 36 |
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps
Limited suitability
The district has a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, groundwater available within the safe limits and power supply to its agriculture consumers is heavily subsidised. But, a relatively low penetration of electric pumps means that solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps would not help in increasing the deployment of solar for irrigation.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) | 6.54 | 80 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 2% | 21 |
Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives
If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.
Doubling Farmers’ Income – Capital Investment
Given the high concentration of small and marginal farmers, and their relatively better access to institutional credit, the district is suitable for doubling farmers’ income through capital investment. Solar pumps could be one of the farm technologies to invest in for farmers, especially 1 HP or sub-HP pumps for marginal farmers.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Proportion of small and marginal cultivators | 93% | 71 |
| Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year to small and marginal cultivators (in INR Crore) | 8.6 | 36 |
Doubling Farmers’ Income – Crop Diversification
In the district, horticulture crops occupy a relatively low proportion of gross cropped area, indicating an opportunity for growing more high value non-staple crops. Solar-powered irrigation could be an alternative source of reliable irrigation, making it easier to achieve crop diversification and enhance farmers’ incomes.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 5% | 44 |
