Mobile Solar Irrigation for Climate-Smart, Inclusive Farming

Organization

Prakritir Abha Organic Initiative LLP

Budget

Costs ₹17.9L to set up, earns ₹5.25L/year, with ₹700/year per farmer—affordable and sustainable.

Impact

The solution significantly enhances individual and community livelihoods by transforming agriculture into a more productive, reliable, and profitable occupation. With access to mobile solar-powered irrigation, farmers—especially small and marginal ones—can shift from single-crop, rain-dependent farming to multiple cropping seasons. This allows them to increase cropping intensity up to 200%, enabling cultivation of rabi and zaid crops that were previously not feasible due to water scarcity. Financially, this shift translates to a substantial impact: each farmer can increase their income by ₹40,000 annually and earn an additional ₹20,000 from surplus produce sales, leading to improved household food security and disposable income. The affordability of the system—just ₹670–700 per year per farmer—makes it highly accessible, even for the poorest households. On a community level, the model creates local employment by involving youth as operators and managers under the Youth Irrigation Enterprise framework. It also fosters collective ownership and decision-making through Water User Groups (WUGs), enhancing social cohesion and local governance. In summary, the solution improves food security, financial stability, youth employment, and community resilience, marking a holistic uplift in livelihoods while reducing environmental impact.

Deployments

Innovation

The solution stands out for its multi-dimensional innovation that addresses long-standing irrigation challenges more effectively than traditional methods. Unlike stationary diesel pumps or solar systems limited to single farms, this model features a tractor-pulled, mobile solar-powered irrigation unit capable of serving multiple locations each day. Its mobility allows it to irrigate scattered or upland plots that are typically excluded from canal systems or fixed infrastructure, ensuring broader and more equitable access. The system uses clean solar energy instead of diesel, drastically reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions while promoting environmental sustainability. Additionally, by tapping into open wells instead of deep borewells, it helps conserve groundwater—a critical concern in water-stressed regions. What makes this solution even more impactful is its community-driven approach: it is managed by local youth entrepreneurs and Water User Groups (WUGs), ensuring long-term maintenance, transparency, and shared responsibility. The model also supports 200% cropping intensity, helping farmers double their yields and increase incomes by up to ₹40,000 annually. In essence, it solves the irrigation problem more sustainably, affordably, and inclusively than previous solutions by combining clean technology, mobility, and collective ownership—paving the way for climate-resilient, income-generating agriculture in underserved rural areas.

Timeline

Months

Pilots

Launch targeted for October 2025, with visible agricultural and income improvements by April–May 2026, impacting over 1,600–1,800 farmers annually across 17 villages in a fully sustainable, community-driven model.

Solver's Location

Dumka, India

Website