New addition to solar irrigation system in Bangladesh is dual pumping system

ytyeasin (66)in Writing & Reviews • 3 years ago

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Agriculture The contribution of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation in achieving food self-sufficiency in Bangladesh is immense. Irrigation is an important tool in crop production. The Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture is implementing a regional project under the Ministry of Agriculture to increase crop production by expanding and adding irrigation facilities using modern and sustainable technologies in agriculture with a view to increasing groundwater use by maintaining groundwater balance and meeting growing food demand. Following this, in line with the policy of the present agri-friendly government, BADC undertook a project titled 'Greater Bogra and Dinajpur District Micro Irrigation Development' to increase the use of surface water and the implementation in Bogra, Joypurhat, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Panchagarh and Thakurgaon districts is 4 years.

Installation of 75 electric LLPs and 10 solar powered irrigation systems in the project area, 121 km. Underground irrigation canal construction, 250 km. The main objectives of the project will be achieved through re-excavation / renovation of canals, construction of 165 hydraulic structures of different sizes and training of 450 farmers. E.g.

Irrigation infrastructure development and application of modern irrigation technology through the expansion of irrigation facilities in 16343.10 hectares of land per year about 82543.95 May. Tons of food grain production; Development of surface water based irrigation system and acceleration of drainage through digging / re-excavation of canals / drains in the project area. The use of surface water is increasing agricultural production, reducing irrigation costs, irrigating fallow lands, reducing waterlogging, increasing the annual income of farmers as well as creating employment opportunities which is contributing positively to the poverty alleviation project. In addition, the construction of hydraulic structures in the re-excavated canal will increase the water retention in the canal and plant trees on the banks of the canal to maintain the balance of the environment and improve the communication system.

According to the Paris Agreement, developing countries like Bangladesh will have to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100. This is likely to lead to the closure of fossil fuel-based irrigators and fossil fuel-powered irrigators in the near future. In this case, the irrigation system powered by renewable energy can bring a revolutionary change in the agricultural sector. The target was to implement 10 0.5 cusec solar LLPs under the Greater Bogra and Dinajpur District Micro Irrigation Development Project. Irrigation from rivers using solar energy is the best way to use surface water. To this end, the project area is monitored for implementation. Surface water stays in rivers, canals, beels for a certain period of time i.e. during the monsoon season (June-September) and later falls into the ocean. As a result, it is not possible to use it for agricultural and other purposes. In the dry season, the river water almost goes to the bottom. It is not possible to run LLP. Then the solar installation will be completely unused and it will not be possible to irrigate the land, which is likely to cause severe damage to crops. To solve this problem and to make the best use of solar energy, the project came up with a new idea of adding dual system pumps to the solar LLP. Solar pumps with dual pumping system at 06 places in the project area and installation of solar powered dug wells at 02 places have been completed.

A typical solar module is one meter long and 1.75 meters wide. One row of solar power modules has been placed and space has been left between the two rows. In other words, after installing one row of modules, one row of modules has been installed again leaving space. As a result, the field crop will get adequate light and the crop production capacity of the land used for setting up the module will be 70 percent intact on an average. In addition, as per the instructions of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of the agri-friendly government, the owners of the land have been provided with different varieties of BADC vegetable seeds as an incentive to cultivate different types of vegetables in every inch of land.

Irrigation Management: Irrigation management as a whole is an integrated activity in crop production. Irrigation management depends on the source of irrigation water, irrigation system, water transport and distribution, exact timing and proper application method. Among them water transport and application methods play a major role. Therefore, irrigation costs can be greatly reduced if transportation and proper implementation are ensured. At present most of the irrigators in the country are transporting water through field level raw irrigation canals. According to one statistic, transport wastage in raw irrigation canals of the country is about 47% and in branch and sub-branch irrigation is about 23%. As a result, 50-60% of the total waste in the command area is due to water transport in raw irrigation (Barry Booklet-1997). Raw irrigation is usually wasted through evaporation, fermentation, weeding, and weeding. As a result, the transport efficiency of irrigation is reduced. On the other hand, about 2-4% of the total arable land is wasted in the construction of raw irrigation canals (A.G. Garapayadhabhas, Ottarmadharharah Nayabartu Dhahaf Chatdhaparpab). (Source: Md. Ziaul Haque, Chief Engineer (Micro Irrigation), BADC, Dhaka). Although solar powered irrigation systems do not consume fuel, it is important to prevent wastage of irrigation water. In order to prevent wastage of water and arable land, 600 meters of underground irrigation system has been constructed in each solar powered irrigation system.

Two pumps of two water sources will run alternately by a set of solar panels. For this purpose, vertical surface pump and sub-merged pump have been installed in one place. A control system has been added to operate each pump. The surface pump will be used for surface water use as long as there is water in the river and the water will be pumped out by sub-merged pumps in the automatic system when the river water goes to the bottom in very dry season. In other words, surface pump will be used when there is sufficient surface water and submersible pump will be used when there is no surface water. This will continue to provide irrigation to the crop lands of the farmers.