Solar Powered Group Irrigation
Context Setting & Problem Statement:
- Despite water sources nearby, small landholding farmers are often unable to grow 2nd, or 3rd crops due to the lack of grid connectivity, high diesel pump costs, infrastructure limitations, and the remoteness of area.
- In most cases, surface water is available, and the farmers only engage in paddy cultivation during the monsoons.
- Many are forced to migrate for low-paid work post-monsoon. This includes labour work at construction sites, big farms and mining sites.
- Without a reliable source of energy, these communities struggle to maintain consistent agricultural practices, directly impacting food security and local economies.
- These limitations lead to reduced agricultural productivity, increased migration to find jobs after the monsoon, and economic instability.
- Such farmers can form groups to effectively use the water source in their regions for post-monsoon crop cultivation.
Farming Beyond The Monsoon Season
Solar-powered group irrigation systems offer a sustainable and efficient solution for the challenges faced by small landholding farmers, enabling farmers in remote areas to utilize the available water sources effectively. Gram Oorja’s approach focuses on providing a complete and integrated solution that includes lifting water from the source to all the farmlands in each group with the help of a pipeline distribution network with added compatibility for drip and sprinkler irrigation. We also emphasise deep community engagement to ensure long-term sustainability and economic growth of the communities we work with.
Empowering Farmers With Solar-Powered Irrigation
The first group irrigation project by Gram Oorja was in 2012, in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. As of 2025, we have installed 770+ solar pumps helping over 4,200 farmers to grow second crops, helping in irrigating more than 4,500 acres of previously unirrigated land post monsoons. These projects have been executed in a cluster approach in collaboration with 25+ partner social organizations.
The cluster approach focuses on specific districts or regions where many sites are identified and served. Currently, we have a strong presence in 10 clusters in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, along with a couple of installations in Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Odisha and with expansion plans and groundwork done for potential clusters in Rajasthan, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
Through this cluster approach, we are able to provide services promptly, leading to effective resource management, enhanced sustainability, and superior maintenance even for the most remote of sites.
Our social partners provide post-installation social support for irrigation to groups, and Gram Oorja provides technical support for all the sites.
Our solution has helped marginalized farming communities in isolated regions by making it possible to increase the cropping cycles and thereby reduce migration.
Key Features Of Our Solar Pumping Systems Include
- Customized Solutions: We conduct surveys with GPS devices, taking into account the water source type, location, topmost point, pipeline route, length, number of farmers, proposed crop and irrigation pattern. The pump and pipeline selection are always customized based on survey inputs to best serve the specific community's needs.
- Comprehensive AMC for 5 Years: We offer a 5-year Annual Maintenance Contract, ensuring that the installed solar pump systems remain in optimal condition. Along with our various social partners, we are currently maintaining and providing service to over 500+ solar pumps that are active under the AMC.
- Rural Expertise: Our implementation team comes from rural backgrounds, which helps us to better understand the unique challenges of working in these areas. This local expertise has helped us when it comes to addressing service issues, especially in remote regions.
Total Projects
Acres Irrigated
Combined Pump Capacity (in HP)
