Solar Pumps as Micro-Enterprises for Women Leveraging Bihar’s Self-Help Groups for Equitable Irrigation Access

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dc.creatorVerma, Shilp
dc.creatorSingh, M.
dc.creatorKuriachen, Philip
dc.creatorUppal, A.
dc.creatorBhattacharjee, Suchiradipta
dc.creatorUsadadia, Nikunj
dc.creatorAnand, Abhishek
dc.date2025-06-06
dc.date2025-06-06T10:30:50Z
dc.date2025-06-06T10:30:50Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:32:18Z
dc.descriptionThis brief presents an action research pilot in Lohsari village of north Bihar, India, implemented by the Aga Khan Rural Support Program, India (AKRSP-I), with support from the IWMI-Tata Water Policy Program and the Solar Energy for Rural Livelihoods (SE4RL) project. In India’s eastern Gangetic plains, solar pumps can offer clean energy for pumping water – to replace highly polluting and costly diesel-based irrigation. However, highly fragmented land holdings make investments in individual solar pumps unattractive and unviable. Since 2016, IWMI and AKRSP-I have been working in north Bihar to pilot solar irrigation entrepreneurs – who can deliver high quality and affordable solar irrigation as a service through a solar pump coupled with a network of buried pipes. Through the flagship rural livelihoods initiative, Jeevika, the government of Bihar has also promoted women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across the state – to promote micro-saving and micro-lending. As these SHGs mature, they are also encouraging women members to take up micro-enterprises to enhance their incomes. Through this pilot, we are field testing a model that offers solar pumps as a micro-enterprise for SHG women. The innovative pilot aims to demonstrate how such enterprises can eliminate diesel use, boost women’s economic agency, and enhance irrigation coverage.
dc.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/175014
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/158793
dc.languageen
dc.publisherInternational Water Management Institute
dc.publisherIWMI-Tata Water Policy Program
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceVerma, Shilp; Singh, M.; Kuriachen, Philip; Uppal, A.; Bhattacharjee, Suchiradipta; Usadadia, Nikunj; Anand, Abhishek. 2025. Solar Pumps as Micro-Enterprises for Women Leveraging Bihar’s Self-Help Groups for Equitable Irrigation Access. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). IWMI-Tata Water Policy Program. 4p.
dc.subjectpumps
dc.subjectwomen's participation
dc.subjectsmall enterprises
dc.subjectself-help
dc.subjectirrigation
dc.subjectright of access
dc.subjectwater markets
dc.subjectlivelihoods
dc.subjectrenewable energy
dc.subjectgender equity
dc.subjectsolar powered irrigation systems
dc.titleSolar Pumps as Micro-Enterprises for Women Leveraging Bihar’s Self-Help Groups for Equitable Irrigation Access
dc.typeBrief

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Instituto Internacional para el Manejo del Agua (IWMI)