FRSolar irrigation pumps
Pilot with Futurepump SF2 solar irrigation pumps in Madagascar.
PRACTICA designs and improves a range of solar water pumps for irrigation. One of our activities is our design cooperation with Futurepump, a social enterprise in the UK. Futurepump has a production capacity of 600 pumps per month in their workshop in India, and now distribute over 3000 solar pumps a year. The Futurepump SF2 is a suction pump which can withdraw water from depths up to 7 meters. The pumps are robust, affordable and easily repairable, they provide sufficient water to irrigate up to an acre of land. Next to the SF2, smaller solar pumps are being developed to fit the needs of farmers with smaller plots and bigger pumps are developed for farmers that need more water.
SF2 pumps in the field.
To address areas where the water is deeper than 7 meters, PRACTICA has developed a number of different pumps. The Mini-Volanta is designed for small-scale irrigation and can withdraw water beyond 7 meters, and the Volanta Grand Débit has a higher flow. Options for boreholes and open wells are both available.
A mini-volanta installed on an open well in Burkina Faso.
In addition to these efforts, PRACTICA tests a wide range of solar pumps. To help farmers make a choice, we have created a Solar Pump Selector smartphone app. It helps identifying the specific circumstance of an individual farmer, such as amount of water needed, plot size, and pumping head. A list of suitable pumps is then shown, together with links to manufacturers’ websites. The app can be downloaded for free from Google Play. Look for: Solar Irrigation Pump Selector.
Interested?
If you are interested in the solar irrigation pumps, please contact us to find out more. The Sunflower SF2 is sold by FuturePump Ltd.
The Solar Irrigation Pump Selector app.