Made with Humane Club
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 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 low level of farm mechanization, possibly due to low awareness or poor outlook towards progressive technologies amongst the farmers here. The district appears in the group of districts, which are (very) highly vulnerable 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 | Limited Suitability |
| Solar based water as a service | Limited Suitability |
| 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 ground water available within the safe limit, high crop revenue per holding, and a relatively high disbursement of institutional credit, but has a comparatively low concentration of diesel pump users, indicating potentially low demand for the private ownership of solar pumps.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Number of cultivators reporting use of diesel pumps | 2,629 | 26 |
| Water Availability Index | 0.89 | 79 |
| Crop revenue per holding (INR) | 82,183 | 50 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 104 | 68 |
Solarisation of feeders
Limited Suitability
The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps and a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation but its DISCOM incurs a relatively low cost for supplying power. As the power purchase rate of the DISCOM increases going forward, solarisation of the feeders may become economically viable in the district.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) | 5.57 | 32 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 62% | 57 |
| Proportion of cultivators reporting use of electric pumps | 21% | 71 |
Solar based water as a service
Limited Suitability
Groundwater availability is within the safe limit in this district and the proportion of unirrigated area is high. However, a comparatively low concentration of small and marginal farmers indicates low demand for water as a service.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Water Availability Index | 0.89 | 79 |
| Proportion of small and marginal cultivators | 65% | 17 |
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 73% | 63 |
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% | 45 |
| Water Availability Index | 0.89 | 79 |
| Proportion of marginal cultivators | 31% | 14 |
| Medium and long term institutional credit disbursed in a year (in INR Crore) | 104 | 68 |
Solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps
Limited suitability
The district has a relatively high penetration of electric pumps, ground water available within the safe limits and a comparatively high extent of feeder segregation. But the relatively low power subsidy for agriculural consumers make solarisation of individual grid-connected pumps an inefficient way of enhancing solar pumps in the district.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Water Availability Index | 0.89 | 79 |
| Actual cost of power supply (INR/kWh) | 5.57 | 32 |
| Extent of feeder segregation | 62% | 57 |
Leveraging Solar Pumps to Promote Policy Objectives
If you are deploying solar pumps in this district then you can further these policy objectives.
Har Khet ko Pani
A relatively high proportion of the net sown area in the district is unirrigated, indicating high irrigation demand. Solar pumps can help improve access to underground irrigation as part of Har Khet ko Pani.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 73% | 63 |
Doubling Farmers’ Income – Crop Intensity
A relatively high proportion of the district’s net sown area is unirrigated. Lack of access to irrigation is one of the major barriers to growing crops beyond two conventional seasons, rabi and kharif. Ensuring irrigation access through solar power will help improve cropping intensity and move towards the aim of doubling farmers’ income by 2022.
| Parameter | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Unirrigated net sown area as a share of total net sown area | 73% | 63 |
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% | 45 |
