Nalanda, Bihar - Solar Pumps Tool Nalanda, Bihar | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade with Humane Club

Nalanda, Bihar

It has a relatively small proportion of its net sown area unirrigated, indicating poor irrigation demand. The average monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households is relatively low for the district, suggesting poor purchasing capacity of the farmers here. 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. There is a comparatively high level of farm mechanization in the district, implying a positive outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers. The district has a relatively high proportion of small and marginal farmers. 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 Not Suitable
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps Not suitable

Individually owned off-grid solar pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit and a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users. However, ground water availability is below the safe limit, and crop revenue per holding is low, making it very difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 302,787 97
Water Availability Index 0.65 52
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 21,990 13
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 0 0

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) 5.84 38
Extent of feeder segregation
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 1% 21

Solar based water as a service

Not Suitable

The concentration of small and marginal farmers is rather high in the district, but groundwater availability is below the safe limit. In addition, a relatively low proportion of unirrigated area makes it very difficult to promote solar-based irrigation through the water-as-a-service model here, unless it undercuts the price of water from existing sources, and improves water utilisation through promotion of micro-irrigation.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.65 52
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 96% 84
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 3% 8

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The concentration of marginal farmers in the district is rather high and the disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers is also comparatively high. But, groundwater availability is below the safe limit and proportion of gross cropped area under horticulture is relatively low, making viability of small pumps difficult. Such pumps can be promoted in suitable areas of the district along with promotion of micro-irrigation as well as horticultural crops.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 6% 53
Water Availability Index 0.65 52
Proportion of marginal cultivators 87% 87
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 0 0

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Not suitable

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 agriculture power subsidy is not very significant. Further with the groundwater availability below the safe limits, solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps may not be the right approach for the district

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.65 52
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 5.84 38
Extent of feeder segregation

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 – 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 6% 53

National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP)

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 29

Climate Resilient Farming for Small Farms

Given the high concentration of small and marginal farmers—the most vulnerable group to climate change—and a high score on climate change vulnerability index provided by CRIDA*, the district is suitable for promoting climate resilient farming for small-sized farms. Solar pumps would assist in the same through low-carbon agriculture.

Parameter Value Percentile
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 96% 84
Score on Climate Change Vulnerability Index 0.49 68

Nalanda, Bihar
Summary
Number of operational holdings
345,441
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
0.52
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
302,787
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
5,177
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
6
12
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
6%
53
Water Availability Index
0.65
52
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
799
8
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
21,990
13
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
5.56
34
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
0
0
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
2,220
67
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
1.21
93