Solar irrigation system

Because of uninterrupted water supply and cost advantage over diesel-based pumps, irrigation using solar power is becoming more and more popular among farmers. Since 2012, 358 solar-based irrigation pumps, for example, have been installed to water crops. We welcome such innovation and believe that the benefits that can be harnessed from solar-power irrigation, particularly in terms of them being more environmental friendly, calls for an expansion in their number.

Forty percent of the massive amount of diesel that the country needs every year goes towards the running of 14.32 lakh irrigation pumps. Some 1,700-1,800 megawatts of electricity is also required for irrigating rice fields during the boro season. In a country always suffering from the shortage of both, increasing the number of solar-powered irrigation pumps can greatly reduce such dependencies. The advantage in terms of getting water easier when using solar-based irrigation is another major boon.

All things considered, ways to improve farming using solar irrigation systems should be seriously looked at. Particularly important is to provide support services for solar irrigation systems locally so that repair and service work can be available for cheap and on an immediate basis to farmers. Many an innovation in our country has been left to rot in the absence of such services. The same shouldn't be allowed to happen in this case.

One concern that the authorities must keep in mind is the scarcity of land which makes solar-based irrigation on a large scale difficult. Thus, the authorities should plan well in installing these devices so that maximum benefit can be extracted from their use.