Drip irrigation using solar energy tested

KURUKSHETRA: After the successful trial of the water efficient technology in paddy cultivation, the Command Area Development Authority (CADA) has now taken another task to test the effectiveness of drip irrigation using solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) in wheat crop.

After the successful trial of the water efficient technology in paddy cultivation, the Command Area Development Authority (CADA) has now taken another task to test the effectiveness of drip irrigation using solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) in wheat crop.

Project coordinator and CADA executive engineer Neeraj Sharma told The Tribune on Tuesday that a pilot project had been initiated at Dera Fateh Singh village near Pehowa in the district.

He said the project was being implemented in collaboration with progressive farmers who had voluntarily given 9 acres for a field experiment.

“Earlier, we used an indigenously developed SPIS in the field trials in the same village. A panel of experts found that drip irrigation is possible in paddy cultivation. When fields were irrigated, it was tested that the drip system used 58 per cent less water compared to the conventional form of paddy cultivation,” he said.

Sharma said CADA was hopeful of good results with testing on wheat.

“Water requirement for wheat may be quite less than paddy. But we are working to give feasible alternatives to farmers by reducing water use in various crops,” he added.

Meanwhile, CADA’s initiative has drawn the attention of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), a global knowledge sharing platform of innovators and researchers.

ICID is a non-profit organisation working for managing water for sustainable agriculture and rural development.

The international agency has invited CADA and community leader Karanjit Singh for the presentation of their success story before a high-power delegate from Egypt and Tunisia in New Delhi next month.

“Our social endeavour has impressed ICID and now they are looking for the possibility to emulate our technology in two partner countries,” he said.

The project

• The solar powered irrigation system was the first of its kind project in the country for which the Niti Aayog signed a memorandum of understanding with the Command Area Development Authority in November last for pan-India promotion of the solar-based micro-irrigation project
• In the project, canal water is stored in a large pool and solar panels installed in the fields and the power generated is linked to a power grid
• The power supply from the grid is reverted to the fields to energise the micro-irrigation system. In case of power breakdown or power supply fluctuation, the required water pressure to irrigate fields remains steady

Source: The Tribune