Capacity Development for modern irrigation management with solar energy in Pakistan

Agriculture is a major driver of water demand in Pakistan, while many farms are affected by water scarcity, inefficient irrigation practices and unreliable access to electricity. The project addressed this water-energy nexus by focusing on modern irrigation management combined with decentralised solar energy solutions. Its objective was to identify economically promising application fields for solar-powered, water-saving irrigation and to support cooperation between Pakistani decision-makers and German companies, associations and experts from the water and solar sectors.

The project activities included the preparation of market information on the potential use of modern irrigation solutions with solar energy in Pakistan, a webinar for German companies and multipliers from the German Water Partnership and the German Solar Association, a study tour in Germany for Pakistani agricultural experts, and capacity-development activities in Pakistan. The work was designed to facilitate a better understanding of technical, economic and institutional conditions for solar-powered irrigation systems.

As part of the implementation, pilot project concepts for irrigation and solar applications were developed. One documented pilot case analysed an existing solar-powered drip irrigation system in Punjab and identified options to improve water efficiency, energy use, system reliability and irrigation management. The proposed measures included demand-oriented irrigation, monitoring of soil and crop conditions, better alignment of pumps, filters and automation, and the use of improved drip-irrigation components. The pilot work provided a practical basis for further demonstration projects and cooperation between Pakistani stakeholders and German technology providers.