Irrigation

In the recent past, Uganda has experienced climate change and variability which impelled Government to support farmers with small scale on-farm demonstrations for solar powered irrigation systems to avert the adverse effects of climate change.

The support targets both crop and livestock farmers in areas with long dry spells for crop irrigation and livestock watering in cattle corridors.

The solar water pumping systems provided by NAADS are strictly for demonstration purposes to enable farmers in communities to adapt to the system. The support is given to farmers on cost sharing basis with NAADS providing the water pumping system and giving guidance to farmers on how to develop the downstream watering system or the reticulation networks.

On the other hand, the beneficiary farmers are expected to work on the downstream reticulation systems with technical support from NAADS.

The initiative also supports the communities with water as a Social Corporate Responsibility strategy by NAADS.

To date, 68 solar water pumping systems have been distributed.

What a farmer needs to know about the Solar Water Pumping System

• The system can be installed in any part of the country
• There should be at least 6 hours of solar radiation on average a day
• The system converts solar energy from the sun into electric energy that pumps the water
• Water is pumped into a water reservoir from where its used for different purposes on the farm (crop irrigation or livestock watering)

Criteria for selection of beneficiaries

The support is demand driven with farmers expected to express interest. Individual farmers can present requests direct to NAADS or the district Local governments express interest on behalf of the farmers through their priorities. The following are a must for farmer beneficiaries;

• Not less than 5 acres of farm land
• Reliable source of water at the farm in form of a borehole, dam or non-seasonal stream

Both Individual and farmers in groups can access the equipment