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. For average crop revenue per holding, the district appears among the top 25 percentile of districts, implying higher investment capacity of the farmers here. There is a comparatively low level of farm mechanization, possibly due to low awareness or poor outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers here. It has a relatively low 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 | Suitable |
| Solarisation of feeders | Suitable |
| Solar based water as a service | Limited Suitability |
| Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps | Limited Suitability |
Individually owned off-grid solar pumps
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 | 29,308 | 62 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 214,986 | 86 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 139.1 | 74 |
Solarisation of feeders
Suitable
Given the relatively high bullk power purchase rate for the respective DISCOM, a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, and a high penetration of electric pumps, solarisation of the feeders would be a recommended way to promote solar-powered irrigation in the district. It would ensure the rapid and cost effective solarisation of irrigation power at a large scale.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Power purchase rate for DISCOM (INR/kWh) | 3.54 | 24 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 100% | 69 |
| Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 24% | 73 |
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 | 44% | 9 |
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 81% | 71 |
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 | 3% | 34 |
| Water Availability Index | 1 | 100 |
| Proportion of marginal cultivators | 14% | 7 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 139.1 | 74 |
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 | 81% | 71 |
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 | 81% | 71 |
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% | 34 |
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 | 0.76 | 95 |
