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. It has a relatively low penetration of banks in rural and semi-rural areas, impeding access to institutional credit for farmers. The number of medium and long-term institutional loans disbursed in the district is comparatively large, suggesting the availability of credit amongst farmers for potential investments. The district has a relatively high proportion of small and marginal farmers. The district appears in the group of districts, which show (very) low vulnerability towards climate change, as per an index constructed by CRIDA.
Approaches | Feasibility |
---|---|
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps | Suitable |
Solarisation of feeders | Limited Suitability |
Solar based water as a service | Limited Suitability |
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps | Suitable |
Suitable
Availability of groundwater within the safe limit, a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users, a relatively high crop revenue per holding, and institutional credit disbursed in relatively large amounts in the district make it a suitable candidate for the promotion of solar-based irrigation through the private ownership of solar pumps. Private ownership provides easy and reliable access to irrigation for farmers.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 25,197 | 58 |
Water Availability Index | 0.76 | 64 |
Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 107,367 | 61 |
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 170.2 | 78 |
Limited Suitability
The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps, and its DISCOM has a rather high bulk power purchase rate, but the district has a comparatively low extent of feeder segregation. Solarisation of the feeders will only be possible once the district separates agricultural feeders from the rest.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Power purchase rate for DISCOM (INR/kWh) | 5.29 | 99 |
Extent of feeder segregation | 11% | 29 |
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 64% | 95 |
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 | 0.76 | 64 |
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators | 89% | 59 |
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 43% | 35 |
Suitable
1 HP and sub-HP pumps could help marginal farmers meet their needs in this district. A relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area, a rather high concentration of marginal farmers, a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers, and the availability of groundwater within the safe limit would drive the success of such small-sized pumps in the district. Such small pumps could also be put to use for lift irrigation, provided there is access to surface water.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 6% | 52 |
Water Availability Index | 0.76 | 64 |
Proportion of marginal cultivators | 67% | 54 |
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 170.2 | 78 |
If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.
The relatively low share of oilseeds and oil palm crops under gross sown area in the district makes it a suitable candidate for promoting NMOOP. Solar pumps could meet irrigation needs for these crops and help farmers diversify their yields beyond cereals.
Parameter | Value | Percentile |
---|---|---|
Area under oilseeds as a share of total cropped area | 2% | 36 |
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 | 34% | 68 |