Ahmedabad, Gujarat - Solar Pumps Tool Ahmedabad, Gujarat | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade with Humane Club

Ahmedabad, Gujarat

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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
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps Suitable

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 57,247 78
Water Availability Index 0.8 68
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 108,307 61
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 148 76

Solarisation of feeders

Suitable

Given the relatively high cost of power supply 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
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 6.06 55
Extent of feeder segregation
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 3% 34

Solar based water as a service

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability in the district is within the safe limit. But, a rather low concentration of small and marginal farmers and a relatively low proportion of unirrigated area make it difficult to promote solar-based irrigation through the water-as-a-service model here.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.8 68
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 56% 11
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 53% 45

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 5% 47
Water Availability Index 0.8 68
Proportion of marginal cultivators 32% 15
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 148 76

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Suitable

Given the relatively high rate of power subsidy for agriculture consumers, a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, ground water available within the safe limits and a high penetration of electric pumps, solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps 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
Water Availability Index 0.8 68
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 6.06 55
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 5% 47

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 43

Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation – Farm Power Availability

There is a comparatively low level of farm mechanisation in the district and a relatively low proportion of electric pump users, indicating an opportunity to increase the exisiting level of mechanisation through solar based irrigation. Solar powered irrigation could be deployed under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation to improve farm power availability.

Parameter Value Percentile
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha) 0.13 36
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 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 0.37 71

Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Summary
Number of operational holdings
217,487
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
2.63
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
57,247
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
7,121
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
297
89
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
5%
47
Water Availability Index
0.8
68
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
2,005
89
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
108,307
61
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
10.71
72
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
148
76
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
2,822
74
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.13
36