Solar Water Pump for the Thar Desert

Precious Water for people, Livestock and Agriculture

The Challenge

The Thar Desert is the largest desert in Pakistan extending into Rajasthan, India. This area of the Thar desert may not receive any rainfall for 2-3 years making agriculture incredibly challenging. Moreover, these drought periods cause undue famine for the villagers and livestock. The scarcity of drinking water and lack of sufficient water supply for agriculture and livestock severely limits the economic development and sustainability for the people of Thar.

Currently, the villagers access water by digging hand pump wells, but with global warming and severe droughts, the water table has become increasingly deeper and drawing the water manually is difficult – and at times not even accessible.

**The Innovation**

By digging deeper wells which tap into the lowered water table, inhabitants in the Thar desert can reliably access water. Newly installed solar powered pumps will all day long draw up the water. No more will a group of villagers be required to manually pull water from these deep wells.
Since this type of pump operates during daylight only, a large water tank built above ground will serve as storage for supply at any hour. Unavoidable spillage during the filling of individual containers will be channeled into an in ground trough for domestic animals and agricultural purposes.

Long Term Impact

A solar powered deep well water pump is a shared community water resource which will provide clean drinking water to all villagers equally. Increased food security as well as economic development will positively impact many lives as this readily accessible water will irrigate the small plots of farming land for personal consumption and fodder for the goats and other domestic animals. A mechanism as simple as a solar powered water well will increase efficiency, sustainability and security for those living in the Thar desert for years to come.