Tharu stick dance performed in Amaltari Homestay, Nawalaprasi, Nepal

A SOLAR BASED IRRIGATION SYSTEM: MANAGED BY WOMEN GROUP OF THARU ETHNICITY

A SOLAR BASED IRRIGATION SYSTEM: MANAGED BY WOMEN GROUP OF THARU ETHNICITY

Shankar Paudel

Women group who organized in the group in the committee to perform the agriculture and livelihood related activities together besides co-learning, is renouncing due their group work. Women were started to organize in-group first with the commencement of Community Based Biodiversity (CBM) project in 2008, implemented by Local Initiative for Biodiversity Research and Development (LI-BIRD) with the funding of Development Fund (DF), Norway for the purpose of livelihood improvement through the conservation of agriculture biodiversity in local level. It was the first small group before ward level group and VDC level main committee. Altogether 38 village level subgroups and 9 ward level committee are under VDC level main committee. This main committee is also responsible for managing the Community seed bank established on 2009 with an objective of conservation and promotion of local landraces. Recommended activities and plans from main committee are implemented through ward level and village level sub group. Each sub-groups have revolving fund. They also raise certain amount in monthly meeting from each members and mobilize to the member. Among the other village level groups, women group having 24 member of Harwasi Village of Agyouli VDC (Kawasoti- 14, Nawalparasi) is unique in a manner that the group has only women members particularly from Tharu ethnicity/community.

The women group was further highlighted after the implementation of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) project, where it proposed to set up the solar based irrigation system in same women group. Installation activities started from 2015/11/01 and came into use after 4 months. Woman group took the responsibility for utilization and management of   installed solar based irrigation. Dil Kumari Thanet, head of the group, said that at initial stage we were not in agreement to set up the solar based irrigation in our field, as it’s cost was more than 8,00,000. She added that water discharge through 2-inch pipe was not thought sufficient to irrigate. We did not give consension in first day. Sir/madam form LI-BIRD came again and try to make convince us explaining benefit and cost shared from LI-BIRD. Once LIBIRD team said that project will bear …percentage of total cost and rest can be contributed by community in the form of labour charge. Then, we discussed in group. We realized the benefit of the solar based irrigation. Komal Prasad Thanet, one of the progress farmers and custodian farmer, said that when I knew about the program, I requested them to grab this opportunity, it will be very beneficial drought prone areas like ours.. After the several level of discussion and realization of benefit, we accepted the proposal, said by another women member Moti Thanet.       

Out of 24 HHs involved in the Group only 16 HHs have direct access to the Solar based Irrigation   , have accessed on solar based irrigation and are grouped in Nawajyoti Saurya Urja Sinchai Samuha Harwasi, Nawalprasi. Whereas remaining 8 members are operating motor pump for irrigation. Boring, where solar based irrigation system was installed was also constructed under the funding of Climate Adaptive Village (CAV) project of LI-BIRD. Out of total 2,40,000; 80,000 was contributed from project where community has contributed 10,000 cash and 1,50,000 in kind. Solar system was installed in same boring with 9,24,350 from project and 2,08,000 from community. Community contribution was both in cash and in kind. They raised 1, 82,500 for making the house to protect the solar and 26,000 in kind.

Farmers has realized the several advantage of solar-based irrigation. There was no water cannel for the irrigation of the crops. Therefore, availability of irrigation facility itself is important whether it is in the form of solar based or fuel based. 4.67 Hectare of land is irrigated through the solar pump. Before using solar pump, irrigation of field was very costly as it cost Rs. 400 per hour to operate diesel based pump. However, after solar installation it became very cheap i.e. only Rs. 50 per and available on time said by Mati Thanet, a member of Nawajyoti Solar Irrigation Management Consumer Group. ‘We need not to go market to buy deiseal to operate the pump’ added by Ms. Thanet. Although, the establishment cost procure high, operating cost is low. Ignoring the establishment costand calculating the operating cost, solar-based irrigations (SBI) system seems four times cheaper than diesel based pump by putting NPR 50/hr for SBI and NPR 400 for DBI.  Farmers also tried to run the hydropower based irrigation system, however, they had trouble to get the electricity meter from office of electricity and experienced load shedding as one of the major problem. In solar-based irrigation system, no need to see the load shedding schedule to irrigate to and also no need to pay the electricity charge. Apart from this, they also felt that it contribute to women security, as they need not to work at night to irrigate the plot waiting for electricity.

Cropping system and intensity is changed after the solar based irrigation. Earlier, they grow only 1 crop (rice) based on rain fed and most of year arable land remained fallow. Irrigation facility brought them the chances to grow two to three cropping per year. Wheat, mustard, maize and vegetable have been grown in the rice land, expressed by member in public auditing program. This year 4 farmers have grown wheat and maize, other farmers are also enthusiastic to grow the crops in dry season. All 16 farmers are planning to grow vegetable in group. Change in cropping pattern increases the diversity of crops and adds to increase the income of the farmers.

Good management is unavoidable to sustain any project. System of charging, upon use of solar pump helps to build the budget for maintenance cost of the solar pump. They have also categorized the charge, only NPR 25 will be charged for farmer whose land was used for installation of solar, NPR 50 for member of management group, NPR 100 for other member who were in biodiversity conservation group not in solar management group, and NPR 150 for framer outside of both  groups . House and guarding for protection: They have constructed one small house roofed with Steel plates where one farmers stay to guard the solar panel and pump. Care and maintenance of solar is important aspect for the sustainability of solar-based operating system. Availability of proper training related to maintenance and minor repairing of solar pump to farmers from the community will help to generate skilled manpower and also save time to explore for technician from outside for maintenance. Arrangement within the group should be make for regular cleaning of solar panel for efficient energy grab.

Difficulties can be easily sort out when peoples are organized in-group.  The motive that got by this women is inspiring one. Their bonding in group and performing task together have been brought the concerned of other people their. Empowerment through different training related program will make women to do their capacity. Engaging male member and other near by women also one way to strengthen and sustain the group.