1,000 US-funded energy-saving irrigation pumps: farmers celebrate installation

One thousand energy-saving irrigation pumps have been installed to date with the support of United States to help Pakistan reduce its energy shortages.
The initiative, implemented by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims at replacing up to 11,000 poorly functioning irrigation pumps and to reduce energy consumption by at least 45 Mega Watts - an amount that can provide electricity for 0.5 million people.
Installation of the 1,000th pump was celebrated at a gathering of over 200 farmers, pump manufacturers, and USAID's Tubewell Efficiency Project staff in Kasur the other day.
The USAID project works to replace thousands of irrigation pumps with more energy efficient models across the country.
This project is part of the US Government's Signature Energy Programme, announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in October 2009 to help Pakistan reduce its energy shortages. Each energy efficient pump cuts down the amount of electricity used to extract water by at least 20 percent, thus significantly reducing the utility bills and production costs on the farm.
USAID funds 50 percent of the new pump set costs. Pump suppliers also commit to post-sales maintenance.
"Energy efficiency is a new concept in the agriculture sector," says Chaudhry Abdul Haq Zaheer Sahiwalia, owner of the 1,000th energy efficient pump.
He said, "My tubewell pump used to generate a huge bill. When my nephew told me about USAID's tubewells replacement programme, I was at first hesitant, but with a 50 percent subsidy and a guarantee of at least 20 percent savings on my electricity bill, I fixed it at my farm.