Chapters 5.71

5.71 -Treadle Irrigation Pumps for Small Scale African Farmers

Paige Moore , University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Moore ,P. (2022) Treadle Irrigation Pumps for Small Scale African Farmers, In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Introduction

Irrigation is a critical technique to allow farmers to optimize growing conditions for crops, ultimately to reach higher yields. It is a globally employed technique utilized in most regions for a wide diversity of grain, root, fruit and vegetable crops (Adelodon & Choi, 2018). Currently, in the context of small-scale farms, the majority of Africa’s crops are rainfed, as opposed to irrigated because of poverty and low access to the untapped water resources across most of the continent (You et al, 2011).

The initial costs to setup an irrigation system can be significant depending on the techniques being implemented. Some irrigation techniques, especially on larger scale farms, can involve investing in large pieces of equipment such as centre pivots, large impact sprinklers or laying underground drip pipelines (South Africa Online, n.d.). Another large expense when implementing irrigation is sourcing the water. Some operations can use naturally occurring water sources such as lakes or rivers to source their water, whereas other operations require digging deep, expensive wells to source their water.

On small scale farms, undertaking large irrigation systems is often unrealistic. Finding less expensive alternatives while being able to gain some of the many benefits of irrigation is an ideal scenario. This chapter will discuss low-cost irrigation pumps.

Low-Cost Irrigation Using a Treadle Pump

Currently, most smallholder farmers in Africa rely on natural, seasonal rainfall. An alternative is the implementation of a traditional rope and bucket system to provide crops with additional water sources (Perry, n.d.). Farmers will use small dug wells or natural water sources such as ponds or rivers to source water and physically move the water to the desired location. This is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process with physical distance limits.

A more consistent alternative for irrigation would be the investment in a small well and a treadle pump. A treadle pump is a manual, “human-powered water-lifting device specifically designed for small-scale irrigation” (Kamwamba-Mtethiwa et al., 2012). See Figure 2. The pump works in conjunction with dug wells, alternatively, any naturally occurring pools of water in the form of ponds or streams can aid in the process of delivering water to crops (Kay & Brabben, 2000). Opting to invest in a treadle pump and well allows for the use of hydraulic technologies and small amounts of manual labour to deliver water to a desired location as opposed to manually carrying buckets of water around a farm.

Figure 1. The inner functions of the pully-based pump (Kay & Brabben, 2000).

Figure 2. The overall function of the treadle pump (Joshi, 2016).

Initially, a water source has to be secured or a well must be dug to a depth of seven meters or less for the pump to be effective (Kay & Brabben, 2000). A suction tube is placed into the water source and is connected to a manifold, connecting the input pipe to the treadle pump. The pump is comprised of two cylinders and two pistons with the pipe having a non-return valve to prevent the water that has entered the pipe from flowing back out. The use of foot peddles, or a handle is the driving force of the pully system powering the pistons. The piston and the cylinder have to fit tightly together to ensure that when the piston rises, it generates a vacuum effect within the cylinder, pulling water against gravity into the pump. As the piston lowers, water is forced through a small valve in the piston, moving through the space above it. Upon the next upward stroke of the piston, it lifts the water until it spills over the cylinder’s edge, flowing into an irrigation channel or a holding tank for later use. Simultaneously, additional water is drawn into the area beneath the piston and the process begins again. When the water is traveling out through an irrigation channel or a discharge pipe or hose, the water is then directly delivered to the desired location or directly to the crops. The pistons creating the suction force to pull the water from an inflow pipe works in shallow wells, with a depth limit of seven meters (Kay & Brabben, 2000).

The treadle pump is one of the most cost-effective methods available for many smallholder farmers in Africa. There are a few different options when it comes to purchasing a treadle pump depending on the farmers desired uses, price and materials the pump is made from. There are portable treadle pumps and fixed treadle pumps. A Stainless Steel Ecoflo Treadle Pump purchased from Indiamart, would cost farmers approximately $65 USD. This option is a foot peddle model including the tubing for before and after the pump; it weighs 12 kg and when used by “a man weighing 60 kg can get suction up to 15 feet (4.5 m) and delivery up to 45 feet (14 m)” (Indiamart, n.d.). Depending on pump features, a treadle pump can range from $18 USD to more than $100 USD (The Technology Exchange Lab, Inc, n.d.). An option such as the one from Indiamart, made from stainless steel for greater durability and longevity and with a light weight, allows the pump to be transportable. This would make a great resource for new farmers who may have limited funds for their own equipment but could pool resources and purchase one unit to be shared within a community to minimize costs. An alternative to a community resource pool would be a cash subsidy through locally funded government agricultural initiatives.

Figure 3. The treadle pump available for purchase (Indiamart, n.d.).

Benefits of Irrigation

There are many benefits to implementing an irrigation system, even on smaller scale farms. Some of the benefits include higher crop yields with greater crop security, improved crop diversity and often results in increased annual cash income for farmers. In a study conducted in Malawi, the results of implementing a treadle pump were “an average increase in annual income of US$100, with some farmers achieving an increase of over US$500. Many of them doubled their income” (Kamwamba-Mtethiwa, et. Al., 2012). Smallholder farmers in Africa use their crops to provide both food and an income for their families. With the use of a treadle pump, there is a high return on investment because of the improvement in growing conditions for the crops.

Critical Analysis

The treadle pump is relatively simple to use but there are a few limitations. An initial hurdle that can limit the implementation is the purchase price, which is significant to many small holder farmers in Africa. One way to overcome this problem is purchasing the pump in partnership with other farmers and sharing its use. The distance between farms could hinder sharing, along with the ability to acquire the pump itself because of the distance the pump must travel from the manufacturing site to reaching the hands of the farmers. Previously, pumps were imported from foreign manufacturers, but Africa is transitioning towards local production of the pumps. Organizations exist that provide designs, material lists and any special tools required to produce the pumps to improve their accessibility (Kay & Brabben, 2000). With proper training on the operation and management of the pump, few issues should arise as most are built of metal and are quite durable. With deterioration of the pump, some issues can arise, but with trained local manufacturers, fixing the pump should be of less of a concern. However, delays may arise from acquiring parts in remote areas. The pump’s reliance on the physical labour of farmers can be strenuous, especially for smaller women or elderly farmers. This limits the demographic of users.

There are many alternative methods that farmers can choose to implement irrigation. Previously, farmers used bucket and rope methods involving minimum additional equipment but did require manual labour (Perry, n.d.). More expensive options on the market include motorized pumps powered by generators, including gasoline/diesel powered, or solar powered. Motorized pumps powered by generators have a moderate initial investment, but much higher than a treadle pump, and they have continuous additional costs for fuel. Solar pumps have high initial investment but relatively low additional costs other than maintenance (Muhsen et al., 2017). Maintenance of solar pumps and generators are higher because of their intricacy. Treadle pumps are the most effective options for small scale farmers in Africa when compared to the higher ongoing costs of motorized and solar pumps.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the implementation of a treadle pump in small scale farms in Africa can be a great addition to creating a more efficient operation. A treadle pump can be a cost-effective method to improving crop yields and security, annual income of farmers and overall crop diversity. With the large number of small-scale farms throughout the continent of Africa, implementing irrigation will have massive benefits in exchange for the small cost of purchasing the equipment, particularly as the impacts of climate change become more significant.

Helpful resources to get started

- Foot pump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd71Au7O39s

- Hand pump https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEljbhsTE6Y

- How the treadle pump works https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/eau/pompes/pompes-a-pedales/How%20treadle%20pumps%20work_FAO.pdf

References

1.Adelodun, B., Choi, K.S. (2018). A review of the evaluation of irrigation practice in Nigeria: Past, present and future prospects. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 13(40), 2087-2097. https://academicjournals.org/journal/AJAR/article-full-text/3EAF05558713

2.Beyene, S., Regassa, T., Legesse, B., Mamo, M., & Tadesse, T. (2018). Empowerment and Tech Adoption: Introducing the Treadle Pump Triggers Farmers’ Innovation in Eastern Ethiopia. Sustainability 10(9), 3268. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10093268

3.Indiamart. (n.d.). Stainless Steel Ecoflo Treadle Pump. https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/ecoflo-treadle-pump-7625471533.html

4.Joshi, A. (2016). Treadle Pump; Reliable Method of Irrigation. Innovative Platform for Agriculture Transformation (IPAT) – Nepal. https://agriinnovationplatform.wordpress.com/2016/05/23/treadle-pump-reliable-method-of-irrigation/comment-page-1/

5.Kamwamba-Mtethiwa, J., Namara, R.E., Fraiture, C.D., Mangisoni, J., & Owusu, J.M. (2012). Treadle Pump Irrigation in Malawi: Adoption, Gender and Benefits. Irrigation and Drainage, 61, 583–595. https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.1665

6.Kay, M., & Brabben, T. (2000). Treadle Pumps for Irrigation in Africa. International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/eau/pompes/pompes-a-pedales/How%20treadle%20pumps%20work_FAO.pdf

7.Muhsen, D.H., Khatub, T., Nagi, F. (2017). A review of photovoltaic water pumping system designing methods, control strategies and field performance. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 68(1), 70 – 86. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1364032116306396?fr=RR-2&ref=pdf_download&rr=8716a16b4a33a20e

8.Perry, E. (n.d.). Low-cost irrigation technologies for food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/3/w7314e/w7314e0o.htm#:~:text=Examples%20in%20West%20Africa%20include,turn%2C%20limit%20production%20and%20incomes.

9.South Africa Online. (n.d.). Irrigation Water Management. https://southafrica.co.za/irrigation.html

10.The Technology Exchange Lab, Inc. (n.d.). Treadle Pump. https://www.techxlab.org/solutions/ide-treadle-pump

11.You, L., Ringler, C., Wood-Sichra, U., Robertson, R., Wood, S., Zhu, T., Nelson, G., Guo, Z., Sun, Y. (2011). What is the irrigation potential for Africa? A combined biophysical and socioeconomic approach. Food Policy, 36 (6), 770-782. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S030691921100114X