Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh - Solar Pumps Tool Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade with Humane Club

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh

Horticulture crops occupy a relatively low proportion of gross cropped area in the district, diminishing the economic viability of solar pumps here. 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 average monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households is relatively low for the district, suggesting poor purchasing capacity of the farmers here. It has a relatively low penetration of banks in rural and semi-rural areas, impeding access to institutional credit for farmers. There is a comparatively low level of farm mechanization, possibly due to low awareness or poor outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers here. The district appears in the group of districts, which are (very) highly vulnerable towards climate change, as per an index constructed by CRIDA.

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 and a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit. But, low crop revenue per holding, and a comparatively low concentration of diesel pump users make it difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 9,872 41
Water Availability Index 1 100
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 48,910 33
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 301.5 87

Solarisation of feeders

Limited Suitability

The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps and a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation but its DISCOM incurs a relatively low cost for supplying power. As the power purchase rate of the DISCOM increases going forward, solarisation of the feeders may become economically viable in the district.

Parameter Value Percentile
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 5.64 33
Extent of feeder segregation 100% 69
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 10% 55

Solar based water as a service

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability is within the safe limit in this district and the proportion of unirrigated area is high. However, a comparatively low concentration of small and marginal farmers indicates low demand for water as a service.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 1 100
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 79% 37
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 85% 75

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers and groundwater availability is within the safe limit. But, a rather low concentration of marginal farmers and a relatively low proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area limits the suitability of 1 HP and sub-HP pumps in the district.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 2% 23
Water Availability Index 1 100
Proportion of marginal cultivators 49% 31
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 301.5 87

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Limited suitability

The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps, ground water available within the safe limits and a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation. But the relatively low power subsidy for agriculural consumers make solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps an inefficient way of enhancing solar pumps in the district.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 1 100
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 5.64 33
Extent of feeder segregation 100% 69

Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives

If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.

Har Khet ko Pani

A relatively high proportion of the net sown area in the district is unirrigated, indicating high irrigation demand. Solar pumps can help improve access to underground irrigation as part of Har Khet ko Pani.

Parameter Value Percentile
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 85% 75

Doubling Farmers’ Income – Crop Intensity

A relatively high proportion of the district’s net sown area is unirrigated. Lack of access to irrigation is one of the major barriers to growing crops beyond two conventional seasons, rabi and kharif. Ensuring irrigation access through solar power will help improve cropping intensity and move towards the aim of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.

Parameter Value Percentile
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 85% 75

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 2% 23

Per Drop More Crop

In the district, crops suitable for drip and sprinkler irrigation occupy a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area, making it easy to adopt such high precision irrigation methods. Solar pumps, along with other efficient and precise water application devices, could be deployed under Per Drop More Crop to promote efficient irrigation.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under crops suitable for drip and sprinkler irrigation as a share of total cropped area 42% 78

Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh
Summary
Number of operational holdings
137,905
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
1.42
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
9,872
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
14,049
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
161
75
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
2%
23
Water Availability Index
1
100
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
863
13
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
48,910
33
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
4.71
23
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
301.5
87
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
73
11
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.03
15