Affordability To Farmers: ADITI (Affordable Drip Irrigation Technologies)

Affordability to farmers
Though Drip Irrigation as a water-saving technology,

comprising drip and sprinkler irrigation, existed in India and
elsewhere for over fifteen years, it was not appropriate and
affordable for small and marginal farm families. Hence the key
task of IDEI during 1997-2000 period was to adapt this
technology to suit the needs of poor farm families and, more
importantly, to make the technology affordable.
Conventional technologies have a high capital cost, high tech

in nature making it complicated to install and maintain. Further
there is a severe lack of efficient market supply chain in rural
areas to develop, manufacture, install and maintain micro
irrigation systems appropriate to India's small and marginal
farmers.
IDEI has suitably adapted this technology to meet the needs of poor farm families by making the
technology simpler and affordable.
As part of this adaptation process IDEI came out with ADITI (affordable drip irrigation
technologies) in the form of simple and ready-to-use packaged kits that can be broadly classified
as bucket kit, drum kit, Easy drip and Customized kit. Till date IDEI has facilitated the sale of
more than 295,000 Drip Irrigation kits.
ADITI kits have been designed for a range of crops and are quite suitable for small and marginal
farmers of the semi arid regions in India. Also, these kits are applicable in a wide range of plot
sizes varying from 20 square meters to 1000 square meters, with prices ranging from Rs.250 to
Rs.4000. Divisible and available in convenient packages (in the form of kits) which the farmers
can install and maintain themselves, the farmers also have the option to begin with one unit and
expand it later at their convenience; Tests in all the regions have confirmed its average discharge
uniformity of 85%.
Benefits to Farmers
More than 70% of Indian farmers are small scale operators

cultivating plots less than one hectare. Irratic rainfall pattern
play havoc into the the livelihoods of the small farmers who do
not have any alternate supply of water.
They are largely constrained due to the absence of simple and

low cost irrigation technologies suited to small plots which can
be managed by themselves. The present technologies are
expensive and fit for use in large fields by big farmers.
IDEI promoted drip irrigation kits cost almost 80% cheaper than the conventional drip kits and
thus bring about a shift from subsistence farming to higher value production farming doubling the
income of the poor farmers , enhancing household food security in addition to improvement in
nutritional status of farm families.
The drip irrigation technology frees the farmer from the limitations of rain fed farming, enabling
him to grow wider variety of crops, cultivate all the year round, higher cropping intensity and do
priority farming. Good irrigation technologies and agricultural practices coupled with enhanced
participation of the poor in the markets is the key to income generation. Income dimension is
important because it has the potential to buffer the poor communities against the stresses and
shocks they encounter due to environmental changes. By putting the income generating
technologies in the hands of the smallholders we tend to address the land and water constraints
that have forced them to remain poor, and bring a significant and everlasting change into their
lives
Areas of implementation
Drip Irrigation has been rigorously tested with sericulture

farmers in south India, watershed projects in south India, cotton
farmers in Madhya Pradesh, vegetable growers and agri-input
dealers in Himachal Pradesh, small farmers and landless
women in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Besides, Drip
Irrigation kitshave been test-marketed in selected districts of
Maharashtra and Gujarat for growing fruits and vegetables.
Currently IDE (India) is promoting Drip Irrigation kits in Gujarat,

Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttaranchal (Click on
Operational Areas to know about IDE's current field
operations.)
Drip Irrigation activities
Product testing and test marketing have been carried out simultaneously, and till date IDEI has
facilitated sale of more than 295,000 drip irrigation kits.
• These technologies have been developed through rigorous R&D and field testing for
small and marginal farmers
• Also, these technologies are divisible and available in convenient packages (in the form
of kits) which the farmers can install and maintain themselves; besides, the farmers have
the option to begin with one unit and expand it later at their convenience;
• These kits are easily assembled by local farmer groups with little training and back-up
support;
• IDEI sources components from a large number of manufacturers and uses the most cost-
effective ones; and
• IDEI also tests all the Drip Irrigation components developed and available all over the
country and uses the ones most appropriate for small farmer's requirements.
Over 200 local development agencies involved in the field of watershed development, including
NGOs, bilateral and multilateral projects, have used ADITI kits to demonstrate the benefits of Drip
irrigation to the farmers in their project areas. These agencies have acknowledged that drip
irrigation saves over 50% water compared with the conventional practices of irrigation and
increases the yield by 30-40%. This fact has encouraged them to incorporate cro irrigation into
their rainwater conservation related development activities.
Awareness generation
IDE's Market creation approach to development ensures that there is awareness and availability
of low cost products that will have a high poverty alleviation impact. thus making it accessible to
the poorest of farmers. Both Static and Dynamic promotions are carried out (wall paintings,
pamphlets, short campaigns, video van shows, farmer meetings) for generating awareness about
technology. Markets are created to make it viable for the private sector to deliver products as a
business. IDEI has now entered into a major marketing phase with ADITI programme.
Specifically, with funding from USAID, IDE (India) has recently started implementing a project on
commercializing drip irrigation and horticultural technologies tailored to the needs of the poor.
This project, known as 'AMIT Plus Programme' ( Affordable Micro-irrigation Technology ),
methodologically represents a bold move to implement the market development approach
using Business Development Services (BDS) principles.
The AMIT Plus Programme will develop and build the capacity of networks of promoters and
private BDS providers to market and supply AMIT plus products and services. IDE's intervention
will be temporary. After developing networks, IDE staff will exit from an area, monitor results and
move on to another area where IDE staff will again develop the networks required for sustainable
AMIT dissemination.
• Drip Irrigation Activities

• Develop products and service packages tailored to the needs of identified market
segments.
• Both Static and Dynamic promotions are carried out (wall paintings, pamphlets, short
campaigns, video van shows farmer meetings)for generating awareness about tech.
Markets are created to make it viable for the private sector to deliver products as a
business.
• Farmers participate in meetings and demonstrations to raise their constraints for input
and output marketing. Separate meetings and demonstrations are held with women at
convenient locations and timings and their opinions are taken to incorporate their
interests. They are addressed specifically as customers and are included in all capacity
building programs. All promotions take place in the local languages.
• Through partnership with grassroots NGOs who have good rapport with farmers,
reaching the most needy and ignorant farmers and their wider participation can be
ensured. Some innovative farmers to whom the other small farmers watch and follow
them as they succeed act as opinion leaders during promotional meetings.
• We also work with NGOs working for watershed management and motivate them to
incorporate drip program as a part of their SHG to establish it as a sustained activity for
their Income Generation Program.
• Develop a profitable and penetrative private sector supply chain (comprising
manufacturers, distributors, agri-input dealers, and agents) to produce, distribute and
sell Drip Irrigation kits to ensure that the technology is available in all rural areas.
• We work with the private sector to develop and promote systems for small and marginal
farmers and hence expand their scope of business. We stimulate a sustainable market
which considers the poor farmers are viable customers and provides technology at a
price that is affordable to them as well as fair to manufacturers and dealers.
• Engage in capacity building of channel partners and NGOs for promotional/demand
creation activities.

Affordability To Farmers: ADITI (Affordable Drip Irrigation Technologies)

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Affordability to farmers

Though Drip Irrigation as a water-saving technology,

Conventional technologies have a high capital cost, high tech

More than 70% of Indian farmers are small scale operators

They are largely constrained due to the absence of simple and

Drip Irrigation has been rigorously tested with sericulture

Currently IDE (India) is promoting Drip Irrigation kits in Gujarat,

Drip Irrigation activities

• Drip Irrigation Activities

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