Farmers struggle amid diesel crisis as solar irrigation projects lie idle in Manikganj

Solar irrigation projects in three upazilas of Manikganj have failed to deliver expected benefits, with all the pumps lying idle due to poor maintenance, weak management and technical faults, forcing farmers to rely on costly diesel amid the ongoing fuel crunch.

Farmers said the projects, introduced nearly a decade ago to cut farmers' irrigation costs and dependency on diesel, are now lying non-functional.

Instead, farmers are struggling to irrigate their fields amid a growing diesel shortage and rising fuel prices.

However, four pumps in Sadar upazila have remained functional, officials said.

Projects turn ineffective

In Singair Upazila's Rasulpur village, a solar irrigation pump installed in 2016 with support from a Korean organisation has remained out of service for years.

The pump, equipped with 24 solar panels and a generation capacity of 5.16 kilowatts, was initially able to irrigate around eight bighas of land.

Locals said the project worked well for the first two years, benefiting farmers with low-cost irrigation. However, the system collapsed after the solar panels were stolen at night.

However, the authorities concerned did not take any effective steps in this regard, leaving the pump to lie abandoned.

Farmer Abdul Halim said, "We got water easily at low cost in the beginning. But after the panels were stolen, no one came forward to restore the system."

Another farmer, Idris Mia, said the local managing committee also became inactive, leaving the project completely abandoned.

Besides, the fate of a similar pump at Merundi in Harirampur upazila remained the same.

BADC project is yet to start

A similar situation is observed in Ghior Upazila, where one solar irrigation pump installed by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) under a Tk20.6 lakh project has remained non-operational for around five years since its installation.

The pump, set up on the bank of the Dhaleshwari River in Char Ghior, was expected to provide irrigation to at least 70 bighas of land and benefit over 100 farmers.

A managing committee was also formed with local farmers, but the project never became functional.

During a field visit, it was seen that no water is being provided, though pipes were installed.

Farmers are now relying on diesel and electric pumps to cultivate Boro paddy and other crops.

Several farmers alleged that they were promised affordable irrigation facilities, but no official has been seen in years after installation.

They also claimed that the local committee members remained inactive for the last two years.

Farmers under pressure

Farmers say they are facing severe challenges during the current irrigation season. With limited access to diesel, many are forced to buy fuel at higher prices, while others are unable to irrigate their land on time, putting their crops at risk.

They believe that properly functioning solar irrigation systems could have significantly reduced their dependence on diesel.

Interestingly, privately installed solar irrigation pumps in nearby areas are performing well. In the Joymontop union, a farmer has successfully been irrigating around 30 bighas of land, using a 15-panel system with a capacity of 8.75 kilowatts.

Lack of oversight blamed

Although these environment-friendly projects were undertaken in two phases in 2016 and 2021, spending crores of taka, they have yet to deliver effective benefits.

According to sources, a total of seven solar-powered irrigation pumps were installed across the district under two separate projects, with the aim of providing irrigation to farmlands in different areas.

According to local agriculture officers, the district's solar irrigation projects suffer mainly from a lack of monitoring, maintenance and technical support. In many cases, mechanical faults and the absence of trained technicians have left the systems unusable.

Data from the Department of Agricultural Extension shows that Manikganj has around 9,000 electric irrigation pumps requiring around 35 megawatts of electricity, along with over 21,000 diesel-powered pumps consuming about 85,000 litres of fuel daily during peak season.

Assistant Engineer Mohammad Titas of the Irrigation wing of the district BADC admitted that technical faults and lack of cooperation from local managing committees delayed the operation of some projects.

He said reports on inactive pumps have been sent to higher authorities for necessary action.

Experts call for urgent action

Agriculture experts stressed that solar irrigation remains a viable and sustainable solution for Bangladesh's agricultural sector, especially in reducing fuel costs and environmental impact.

However, they emphasised that without proper maintenance, accountability and monitoring, such projects will continue to fail.

The experts urged the government to take immediate steps to repair inactive pumps, ensure proper management and expand successful models to maximise benefits for farmers.