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 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 show (very) low vulnerability towards climate change, as per an index constructed by CRIDA.
Deployment Approaches
| Approaches | Feasibility |
|---|---|
| Individually owned off-grid solar pumps | Limited Suitability |
| Solar based water as a service | Limited Suitability |
| Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps | Limited Suitability |
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps
Limited Suitability
The district has ground water available within the safe limit and a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users. However, low crop revenue per holding, and the relatively low disbursement of institutional credit would make it difficult to promote the private ownership of solar pumps here.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 113,897 | 88 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 8,948 | 2 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 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 | 98% | 93 |
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 28% | 27 |
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps
Limited Suitability
The district has groundwater availability within safe limit and a rather high concentration of marginal farmers. However, a comparatively low disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers and a relatively low proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area make it difficult to promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps here, unless government provide subsidy or loans support to marginal farmers for adoption of such pumps as well as promote more horticulture among such farmers.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area | 3% | 32 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Proportion of marginal cultivators | 94% | 96 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 0 | 0 |
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 | 98% | 93 |
| Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year to small and marginal cultivators (in INR Crore) | 0 | 0 |
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 | 3% | 32 |
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 | 1% | 19 |
