Sustainable Agriculture Water Management Project

(SAWMP)

Introduction
The project aims to increase farm productivity, raise farms’ income and improve
the lives of rural farmer families living in the dry zones of Sri Lanka. The project have
been implemented in year 2005 and had provided 5,000 Solar-powered drip irrigation
units to small farmers at the mid of the year 2007.

Now the project had installed 6,000 No of drip irrigation units at selected
farmlands in dry zone and it has been implemented in 14 districts; Ampara,
Anuradhapura, Badulla, Hambanthota, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala , Mannar, Matale,
Monaragala, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Ratnapura and Trincomalee.

Objectives
Popularization of low cost solar powered drip irrigation technology for efficient
and sustainable management of water, soil and plant nutrients in water deficit areas (Dry
zone and Intermediate zone).

Major Activities of the project

Supply of drip irrigation kits is done by an Australian company called Bp Solar
through its local agent, Solar Solutions (pvt) Ltd. Installation and maintenance are done
by Solar Solutions (pvt) Ltd and technical staff of this company provides training to
farmers on operation and maintain the system. Ministry of Agriculture Development with
the technical assistance of Solar solutions (pvt) Ltd, provides training to District Officers
and Agriculture Instructors of the Ministry of Agriculture Development and farmers on
operation and maintenance of drip irrigation system and improved methods in agriculture.

Benefits

• Increase yield by 2-3 fold

• Water saving (nearly 50%)
• Reduce inputs and labour cost (fertilizer, fuel and weeding)
• Reduce price fluctuation of vegetables and other field crops by introducing off
season cultivation
• Saves time used for application of water, fertilizer and weeding
Basic requirements to be fulfilled by the interested farmer
• Should be a dry zone farmer
• Farmer that owns more than 0.5 acres of land
• Farmer must have a well built that can accommodate 6,000 to 7,000 liters of
water per day
 • Must have good credibility with banks
• Should be a innovative farmer

Bp Solar is responsible for the technical and management aspects of the project,
handling the design, manufacture, supply & installation of the Solar-powered drip
irrigation systems. All maintenance activities are done by Solar Solutions (Pvt) Ltd
within first 03 years after installation. Warranty period of the Solar Panel is 25 years.
Payment Procedure

Initial payment for installation - Rs. 10,000.00 (Samurdhi farmer)

- Rs. 25,000.00 (Normal farmer)

After 06 months grace period - Rs. 3,665.00 (Samurdhi farmer)

amount of the installment Rs. 3,813.00 (Normal farmer)

Number of installments - 120 (Samurdhi)

114 (Normal)

Time period - 10 years

Total system price - Rs. 345,452.25

 Farmers those who are willing to get the Solar powered drip irrigation system, for
further information could contact; Agriculture extension officers, Samurdhi bank
manager, Samurdhi development officer, Agriculture instructors in the area or District
Co-ordination officers of Agriculture, Divisional officers of the closer Agrarian Services
Centre, Agricultue Research & Development Assistants in the area and Natural Resource
Management unit (011- 2888929) in the Ministry of Agriculture .