Nexus of Good: Proponents of change

Bihar has 56 lakh hectares of net cultivable area, out of which 33.51 lakh hectares of land is net irrigated area, which is 60 per cent of the total land. Currently, most of the irrigation in the state happens through diesel or electric pumps. According to the minor irrigation census of 2013-14, there were 5.8 lakh diesel pump-operated minor irrigation schemes in the state. These diesel-operated pumps are not only polluting and cost intensive in nature, but also operate at sub-optimal level when it comes to coverage of land under irrigation. Most of the diesel pumps remain idle during the summer season while summer season offers huge potential for Bihar farmers. Availability of adequate groundwater makes Bihar highly suitable for intensive cultivation during rabi and summer seasons. If farmers have access to reliable irrigation services during these seasons, then large production outputs can be achieved in vegetables and pulses.

Prem Sichai Vikas Samiti is a women's group located in Chandauli Panchayat of Samastipur district in Bihar. The 10 members of the group are primarily engaged in agricultural and labour work. It is led by a team of three office bearers: Indu Devi as the President, Vibha Kumari as the Secretary, and Rinku Devi as the Treasurer. Prem Sichai Vikas Samiti was formed by a group of women farmers who were struggling with the problem of inconsistent water supply to their fields. Despite their best efforts, their crops were getting destroyed, causing significant losses for these impoverished women. They were part of an SHG group named "Prem SHG", supported by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP, India), which provided them with the necessary support and guidance to develop a solution.

During a meeting with representatives from AKRSP, the women were introduced to the concept of a Solar-based Group Irrigation (GI) scheme. This solution involved installing a solar pump in their fields, which would ensure a consistent water supply for their crops. However, the women were required to invest Rs 13,000 each for the project, which was a huge amount for them. Convincing their husbands and the villagers was also challenging, as they believed that operating a group irrigation pump was not a task for women. Despite these obstacles, the women united and decided to initiate the solar irrigation intervention in 2018. The total cost of the project was approximately Rs 7 lakhs, with the remaining support provided by AKRSP(I). The project included a 5HP pump, 300 feet borewell, pumphouse, and underground pipeline channel covering 30-35 acres of land.

This group started providing irrigation services to around 95 to 100 farmers through their solar pump, in addition to meeting the water needs of their own agricultural land. With access to water, farmers could cultivate multiple crops throughout the year. For instance, some farmers have started growing legumes and cereals together in the fields. Previously, potatoes and maize were not grown, but now they are being cultivated. When water was scarce, only two crops per year were possible. Currently, every farmer can grow three crops per year. The Prem group charges Rs 90 per hour for water usage from farmers who avail their irrigation services. This generates an annual income of Rs. 1.3 lakhs for the group. Farmers who purchase water from this group also benefit from the reduced cost of assured irrigation. They obtain water from the solar scheme at half the cost compared to diesel-operated pumps in the village. The solar irrigation project has had a significant impact on the dietary habits of the families associated with the Prem Group Sichai Vikas Samiti. With a consistent water supply, farmers were able to produce more vegetables than before, leading to a change in their diet.

Women farmers have now got an opportunity to come together and collectively work towards finding a solution to their problem. They were able to take ownership of the project and actively participate in it. This has given them greater autonomy and financial independence, which has a ripple effect on their overall well-being.

The stories of Prem Sichai Samuh and over 130 similar other groups, benefitting over 5,000 farmers in Bihar, are based on a unique model developed by AKRSP(I) with the support of IWMI-Tata programme in the year 2016. This model was named Chakhaji Model, as the first experiment happened in Chakhaji village of Bihar. Chakhaji model includes usage of a solar pump like an enterprise. An individual or group of farmers owns a solar pump of 5HP or bigger size, and supplies water to 50 to 100 other farmers in their catchment area through underground pipeline channels. The other unique feature of the model is that this model seeks to saturate 100 per cent agricultural land of any typical village through 8 to 10 schemes in the same village. The whole village gets irrigation services using clean energy at a very competitive rate in comparison to diesel pumps-run irrigation schemes. Farmers can cultivate three crops in a year, in addition to providing thrust to dairying in the villages due to assured water availability. This model also offers an incentive to the group who owns these schemes as they earn through providing the irrigation services in their villages. A typical solar irrigation entrepreneur can earn Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,25,000 per annum just by selling water to other farmers in the village.

Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, commonly known as Jeevika, has promoted over 1 million women's Self-help Groups (SHGs) in the state. Jeevika places a significant emphasis on improving the livelihoods of women SHG members. Properly designed solar-operated irrigation pumps offer tremendous opportunities to these SHGs in terms of livelihood improvement. Individuals within SHGs or the SHG as a whole can serve as Irrigation Service Provider (ISP). Each ISP can supply irrigation water to 50 to 100 other farmers, covering approximately 35 acres of land. The potential income from water charges for these farmers is around Rs 1.2 lakhs per year, in addition to the benefits of irrigating their own land. Typically, a village of around 250 acres of land requires approximately 8 to 10 pumps, allowing for the creation of 8 to 10 ISPs in each operational village of Bihar where Jeevika is active. This model of scaling up irrigation services in Bihar will establish numerous irrigation enterprises owned and operated by women. Furthermore, women farmers will also enjoy increased agricultural outputs and income.

Under the inspired leadership of Naveen Patidar, CEO of AKRSP, this solar initiative has enormous potential. It is transforming the lives of people, especially women, in rural areas. It serves as an excellent example of the Nexus of Good, which can be replicated and expanded through public-private partnerships, not only in Bihar but also in other parts of the country.

Views expressed are personal