Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh - Solar Pumps Tool Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade with Humane Club

Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh

It has a relatively small proportion of its net sown area unirrigated, indicating poor irrigation demand. In the district, horticulture crops occupy a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area, raising the economic viability of solar pumps here. The number of medium and long-term institutional loans disbursed in the district is comparatively large, suggesting the availability of credit amongst farmers for potential investments. 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
Solarisation of feeders Suitable
Solar based water as a service Not Suitable
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps Limited Suitability
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps Limited suitability

Individually owned off-grid solar pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a comparatively high concentration of diesel pump users, high crop revenue per holding, and a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit. However, groundwater availability is below the safe limit. Water conservation and efficient irrigation practices (such as drip irrigation) should be promoted to improve the viability of solar pumps.

Parameter Value Percentile
Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps 65,306 81
Water Availability Index 0.31 22
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 90,651 54
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 511.6 93

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) 6.54 80
Extent of feeder segregation 2% 21
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 9% 53

Solar based water as a service

Not Suitable

The concentration of small and marginal farmers is rather high in the district, but groundwater availability is below the safe limit. In addition, a relatively low proportion of unirrigated area makes it very difficult to promote solar-based irrigation through the water-as-a-service model here, unless it undercuts the price of water from existing sources, and improves water utilisation through promotion of micro-irrigation.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.31 22
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 87% 53
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 1% 5

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Limited Suitability

The district has a relatively high proportion of gross cropped area under horticulture crops, a high concentration of marginal farmers and a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers, but groundwater availability is below the safe limit. Water conservation and efficient irrigation practices (such as drip irrigation) should be promoted to improve the viability of small capacity pumps.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 21% 80
Water Availability Index 0.31 22
Proportion of marginal cultivators 69% 58
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 511.6 93

Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps

Limited suitability

The district has a relatively high rate of power subsidy for agriculture consumers, a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation, and a high penetration of electric pumps. However, the groundwater availability is below the safe limits. State should be cautious in promoting solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps as it may aggrevate the groundwater depletion

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.31 22
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 6.54 80
Extent of feeder segregation 2% 21

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 87% 53
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year to small and marginal cultivators (in INR Crore) 511.6 93

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 40

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 24% 51

Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh
Summary
Number of operational holdings
178,683
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
1.03
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
65,306
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
16,895
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
2
6
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
21%
80
Water Availability Index
0.31
22
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
1,138
44
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
90,651
54
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
5.15
28
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
511.6
93
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
4,070
86
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.47
66