Guntur, Andhra Pradesh - Solar Pumps Tool Guntur, Andhra Pradesh | Solar Pumps Tool Humane ClubMade in Humane Club

Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

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. The average monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households is relatively high for the district, suggesting higher purchasing capacity of the farmers here. For average crop revenue per holding, the district appears among the top 25 percentile of districts, implying higher investment capacity of the farmers 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. There is a comparatively high level of farm mechanization in the district, implying a positive outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers. 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 Suitable
Solarisation of feeders Suitable
Solar based water as a service Limited Suitability
Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps Suitable
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 222,934 96
Water Availability Index 0.96 93
Crop revenue per holding (INR) 176,268 81
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 137.3 73

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) 7.54 98
Extent of feeder segregation 100% 69
Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps 18% 66

Solar based water as a service

Limited Suitability

Groundwater availability in the district is within safe limit and the concentration of small and marginal farmers is comparatively high, but the proportion of unirrigated area is relatively low. A solar-based water service will have to compete with existing sources of irrigation.

Parameter Value Percentile
Water Availability Index 0.96 93
Proportion of small and marginal cultivators 90% 61
Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area 30% 29

Promote 1 HP and sub-HP pumps

Suitable

1 HP and sub-HP pumps could help marginal farmers meet their needs in this district. A relatively high proportion of horticulture crops under gross cropped area, a rather high concentration of marginal farmers, a comparatively high disbursement of institutional credit to marginal farmers, and the availability of groundwater within the safe limit would drive the success of such small-sized pumps in the district. Such small pumps could also be put to use for lift irrigation, provided there is access to surface water.

Parameter Value Percentile
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area 14% 70
Water Availability Index 0.96 93
Proportion of marginal cultivators 71% 62
Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) 137.3 73

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 0.96 93
Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) 7.54 98
Extent of feeder segregation 100% 69

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 90% 61
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year to small and marginal cultivators (in INR Crore) 137.3 73

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 15

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 39% 73

Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
Summary
Number of operational holdings
759,889
Average size of operational holding (Ha)
0.92
No. of cultivators using diesel pumps
222,934
No. of cultivators using electric pumps
138,313
Parameters (value, percentile)
Unirrigated net sown area ('000 ha)
190
79
Area under horticulture crops as a share of gross cropped area
14%
70
Water Availability Index
0.96
93
Monthly per capita expenditure of rural agricultural households (INR)
1,575
77
Crop revenue per holding (INR)
176,268
81
No. of rural and semi-urban bank branches per 10,000 farmers
6.75
46
Medium and long-term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore)
137.3
73
No. of calls made at Kisan Call Centre (between 1.1.2011 - 31.12.2015)
2,926
75
Level of farm mechanisation (tractors, harvesters, threshers per ha)
0.65
78