Practica Irrigation

Shallow wells are a low-cost, and therefore viable option for private water access on smallholder farms. A range of manual drilling techniques is available for the construction of shallow wells. These wells can be adapted to a variety of settings, such as flooded areas or lands with unfavorable soil conditions.

PRACTICA has ample experience in selecting suitable, low-cost pumps that are design for pulling water from shallow wells in a variety of farming contexts. Common pumps for smallholder irrigation not only include human-powered rope pumps and treadle pumps, but also different engine pumps and low-cost micro pump sets.

Efficient distribution systems can be a major improvement in water-scarce areas, since conventional furrow irrigation results in high water losses. Drip irrigation and Californian irrigation are two examples of alternatives that PRACTICA focuses on.

Efficient use of irrigation can increase the income of smallholder farmers drastically. PRACTICA promotes the use of low-cost technologies that can be purchased and managed by individual farmers. This private ownership approach stimulates proper maintenance while avoiding management problems that arise from communal ownership systems.

The PRACTICA foundation was founded in 2001 as an initiative of a group of professionals working with low-cost technologies for water supply, irrigation and renewable energy in developing countries.

Publicly available: yes
Countries where available: Worldwide
Price range (USD): Contact supplier for quote