The government yesterday signed a $10 million grant agreement with the
World Bank to introduce solar irrigation pumps for farmers.
The Solar Irrigation Project will enable installation of more than 1,300 solar powered irrigation pumps covering more than 65,000 bighas of land for rice cultivation.
The project will be financed by the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF), an innovative multi-donor financing mechanism.
The solar irrigations pumps will provide farmers access to clean energy in a comparatively lower cost, the World Bank said in a statement.
Arastoo Khan, additional secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Christine Kimes, acting head of the World Bank Bangladesh, signed the deal, at the ERD in the capital in presence of the development partners.
Traditionally, Bangladeshi farmers rely on more expensive diesel-based irrigation pumps for rice cultivation.
By replacing diesel pumps with solar irrigation pumps in areas where grid electricity has not reached, the project will reduce dependence of farmers on diesel supply, which is often erratic and costly particularly in remote rural areas.
“Reliance on costly diesel imports for irrigation puts a pressure on the country’s foreign exchange. Thirteen hundred solar irrigation pumps will save $3.2 million in foreign currency every year from displacement of diesel,” the World Bank said.
“Wider use of solar powered irrigation pumps will help Bangladesh to save foreign exchange in diesel imports,” Kimes said.
“Due to clean and renewable energy used, the project will reduce carbon emission by 10,000 tonnes every year. The project will contribute to improve farmers’ livelihoods, increase climate change resilience of the agriculture sector and strengthen food security.”
Private sponsors will be responsible for installing, operating and maintaining the solar irrigation pumps, according to the statement.
“BCCRF will provide up to 50 percent of the pump costs in grant, while International Development Association of the World Bank will provide 30 percent in concessional credit. Private sponsors are expected to provide 20 percent of the pump costs as equity.”
“The project directly contributes to the government of Bangladesh’s climate change adaptation vision,” Khan said.
“Wider use of solar irrigation pumps will help the agriculture sector to reduce dependence on diesel imports. Smooth supply of water for irrigation will help to increase agricultural productivity. The solar irrigation pumps will enable us save foreign exchange substantially. However, to popularise the solar irrigation pumps, investment in research and innovation is needed to bring down the upfront cost of the pumps.”
BCCRF has provided $10 million grant in first phase for the solar irrigation project and the total commitment amount for project is $24.5 million in grant financing.
The Infrastructure Development Company Ltd will implement the solar irrigation project through private sponsors as part of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development II Project
The Solar Irrigation Project will enable installation of more than 1,300 solar powered irrigation pumps covering more than 65,000 bighas of land for rice cultivation.
The project will be financed by the Bangladesh Climate Change Resilience Fund (BCCRF), an innovative multi-donor financing mechanism.
The solar irrigations pumps will provide farmers access to clean energy in a comparatively lower cost, the World Bank said in a statement.
Arastoo Khan, additional secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), and Christine Kimes, acting head of the World Bank Bangladesh, signed the deal, at the ERD in the capital in presence of the development partners.
Traditionally, Bangladeshi farmers rely on more expensive diesel-based irrigation pumps for rice cultivation.
By replacing diesel pumps with solar irrigation pumps in areas where grid electricity has not reached, the project will reduce dependence of farmers on diesel supply, which is often erratic and costly particularly in remote rural areas.
“Reliance on costly diesel imports for irrigation puts a pressure on the country’s foreign exchange. Thirteen hundred solar irrigation pumps will save $3.2 million in foreign currency every year from displacement of diesel,” the World Bank said.
“Wider use of solar powered irrigation pumps will help Bangladesh to save foreign exchange in diesel imports,” Kimes said.
“Due to clean and renewable energy used, the project will reduce carbon emission by 10,000 tonnes every year. The project will contribute to improve farmers’ livelihoods, increase climate change resilience of the agriculture sector and strengthen food security.”
Private sponsors will be responsible for installing, operating and maintaining the solar irrigation pumps, according to the statement.
“BCCRF will provide up to 50 percent of the pump costs in grant, while International Development Association of the World Bank will provide 30 percent in concessional credit. Private sponsors are expected to provide 20 percent of the pump costs as equity.”
“The project directly contributes to the government of Bangladesh’s climate change adaptation vision,” Khan said.
“Wider use of solar irrigation pumps will help the agriculture sector to reduce dependence on diesel imports. Smooth supply of water for irrigation will help to increase agricultural productivity. The solar irrigation pumps will enable us save foreign exchange substantially. However, to popularise the solar irrigation pumps, investment in research and innovation is needed to bring down the upfront cost of the pumps.”
BCCRF has provided $10 million grant in first phase for the solar irrigation project and the total commitment amount for project is $24.5 million in grant financing.
The Infrastructure Development Company Ltd will implement the solar irrigation project through private sponsors as part of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development II Project
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