BANGLADESH SOLAR IRRIGATION
Channel: News Now - KE
Date: 2021-08-26

Standing amidst rows of curated cabbages, radiant radishes and thriving tomatoes, Mohammad Islam beams. The lush garden is a far cry from what this water scarce area could have unfolded. Three silver panels just metres away lift their faces to the sun like sunflowers. These innocuous metal panes, solar panels installed by FAO, are largely to thank for these vegetables.

This father-of-three hails from Ukhiya in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. Known in the news for so many other reasons than vegetables, Cox’s Bazar has nonetheless historically been a veritable oasis. The fertile ground used to make growing almost anything here an option. That has changed. Over exploitation and excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have degraded the soils. Decreasing fertility means decreasing vegetation, which means decreasing water. With the growing population, this cycle is only perpetuating and the challenges getting more severe.  

In Cox’s Bazar, FAO is improving irrigation practices and crop production by tapping into green technologies, including solar energy. Currently, 70 percent of fresh water on the planet is used for agricultural production. Solar-powered systems help reduce water loss by using buried pipe systems instead of open earth canals, which are vulnerable to evaporation and seepage.

“Water scarcity is a common problem in our area, and irrigation costs are very high,” relates Mohammad. “FAO installed a solar-powered irrigation system which helps to address the problem of water scarcity.” It has also cut the production cost in half.

“Conventional irrigation practices result in huge water loss that deplete underground water reserves while increasing production costs because of the fossil fuels needed to run irrigation systems. This also leads to environmental pollution,” says Robert Simpson, FAO Representative in Bangladesh. “This initiative addresses both challenges of water scarcity and environmental impact in a sustainable way.”

FAO and Bangladesh’s Department of Agricultural Extension will replicate the initiative across the country to promote the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems.