Solar irrigation for the people of the Sahara

    Solar irrigation for the people of the Sahara

    The energy of the Sun and photovoltaics to solve the problem of hunger in African countries. An American study produced by the University of Standford and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) - highlights the possibility of starting a solar drip irrigation process that would solve the problem of water supply, thus significantly improving the income of families and the nutritional contribution of the inhabitants of the arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa.



    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

    THEenergy of the Sun and PV to solve the hunger problem in African countries. An American study produced byStandford University and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) - highlights the possibility of initiating a process of solar drip irrigation which would solve the problem ofwater supply, thus significantly improving the income of families and the nutritional intake of the inhabitants of the arid regions ofAfrica sub-sahariana.



    Research data shows how motorized solar pumps, installed in remote villages of Benin, represent an economical way of distributing water for irrigation needed especially during the long dry season. Significant portions of the African population have, in fact, difficulty in finding food, as confirmed Jennifer Burney expert in the Food and Environmental Safety Program. Populations at "food risk" are predominantly rural, survive on less than a dollar a day and, even today, 50 to 80 percent of their income is spent on food. Burney and his collaborators noted that only 4% of the cultivable area is irrigated, relying only on rain to keep crops going.

    If we consider that the rainy season in these areas is limited from three to six months, it is clear that the promotion of irrigation among small landowners can represent a poverty reduction strategy, climate adaptation and promotion of food security. This is the premise that prompted the research group, in November 2007, to start an experimental collaboration with two rural villages in Benin.

    The motor photovoltaic pump system was installed and tested on a group of 30/35 women: each woman had the opportunity to cultivate a small piece of land irrigated with these solar drip systems. From the results of the research it is evident that all women who had the opportunity to use the system of solar irrigation pumps they became good vegetable producers. Fruit and vegetable products significantly penetrated local markets. With this method in the two sample villages, agricultural development for the arid regions of the desert, the consumption of vegetables increased significantly during the rainy season.



    This confirms that the contribution of green technologies to developing countries can really represent a way not only to reduce emissions, but also to cope with the vital problems of areas where people are still dying of hunger and thirst.

    Daniela Kitchen

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