Impact analysis of solar powered irrigation system in Cooch Behar district through water-energy-food nexus
Student name: Ms Shaloni Dash
Guide: Dr Chubamenla Jamir
Year of completion: 2017
Host Organisation: GIZ, New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Mr Diego Senoner
Abstract: The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus shows the inextricable connection of water, energy and food
where actions in any one sector usually have impacts in one or both of the others. This study attempts
to link the Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS) to the WEF nexus though an impact analysis. SPIS
is an energy efficient irrigation system which uses solar energy as an input, instead of fossil fuels or
electricity, to deliver water to the crop fields. Quantification of the impact was made feasible through
surveys conducted in 2017 for the SPIS installed in the Tufanganj I & II blocks in the district of Cooch
Behar, West Bengal, India. It analyzes the impact through change in crop yield and crop pattern post
installation of SPIS, extraction on ground water and potential of additional usage of productive
applications powered by SPIS that lead to income generation of the farmers. 55 farmers were
interviewed in 10 villages in two blocks of the district through structured questionnaire consisting of
quantitative and qualitative questions.
The major result is that crop yield has slightly decreased post installation of SPIS, mainly due to
decrease in command area under SPIS resulting from fragmented land holdings. The number of hours
of pumping have remained almost constant for the 55 farmers in the study area considering 4.6 bi of
average area per farmer under SPIS although yearly average hours pumped per farmers per bi under
SPIS has increased significantly. The potential for SPIS in the study area is about 226 days considering
102 annual rainy days and that SPIS runs for an average of 36.77 days in a year in the area. The
overall impact of SPIS on WEF nexus is positive on energy and more or less remains the same on food
and water.
Key words: Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus, Solar Powered Irrigation System (SPIS), crop yield,
crop pattern and irrigation.
