MoneyMaker: Low-cost irrigation pumps

Low-cost irrigation technologies for increasing incomes for smallholder farmers.

MoneyMaker offers a range of irrigation pumps tailored for small plots in sub-Saharan Africa. The MoneyMaker Hip provides water distribution of up to 40 liters per minute for plots up to 1.25 acres. The MoneyMaker Starter, weighing 3.0kg, pumps up to 30 liters per minute for 1-acre plots. For plots up to 2 acres, the MoneyMaker Max, operated by a 70kg operator, delivers up to 1.8 liters per second. These non-motorized pumps are compact, with the MoneyMaker Max at 16kg, the Hip Pump at 4.5kg, and the Starter Pump at 3.0kg. Designed by Kickstart International, the Starter Pump is a cost-effective solution for transitioning from rain-fed farming, offering a maximum flow rate of over 2200 liters per hour for diverse agricultural and domestic water needs.

This technology is pre-validated.

9•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 9/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive high

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Same amount of carbon released

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Water use: Much less water used

Problem

Water Scarcity in Small Farms: Small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa struggle with water scarcity, affecting crop irrigation.
Manual Irrigation Challenges: Manual and labor-intensive irrigation methods, like bucket systems, pose efficiency and labor burden issues for small plots.
Financial Barriers to Technology Adoption: Smallholder farmers face financial constraints in adopting modern irrigation technologies, limiting their ability to shift from traditional practices.

Solution

MoneyMaker irrigation pumps offer an efficient and affordable solution to mitigate water scarcity by providing a reliable water source for small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
It replaces manual and labor-intensive irrigation methods, offering a more efficient and sustainable solution to ease the burden on farmers while optimizing the irrigation process.
It provides cost-effective irrigation solutions, such as the Starter Pump, enabling smallholder farmers to transition from traditional methods to more productive and sustainable irrigation practices.

Key points to design your project

Low-cost irrigation pumps provide an efficient solution for delivering water to crops, reducing labor and costs compared to manual methods. To integrate this technology:

Promote awareness through community demonstrations to showcase its benefits.
Provide comprehensive training to operators for maintenance and operation.

Knowing that the pump cost 50-90 USD, considering costs and quantity needed for your project. This technology is adopted in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Engage a team of trainers to provide ongoing support and maintenance assistance to operators after the initial training.

Develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to educate farmers and stakeholders about the benefits and proper use of mechanized threshing technology.

Collaborate with agricultural development institutes and fleet managers to facilitate the adoption and implementation of mechanized threshing technology in your country.

By following these steps, you can effectively integrate low-cost irrigation pumps into your agricultural project, enhancing efficiency and productivity while reducing labor costs.

Cost: $$$ 50—90 USD

Pumps cost

200—500 %

Farmer increases their farm produce

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested

Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country	Tested	Adopted
Angola	–Not tested	Adopted
Burkina Faso	–Not tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–Not tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–Not tested	Adopted
Ghana	–Not tested	Adopted
Kenya	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–Not tested	Adopted
Mali	–Not tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–Not tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–Not tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–Not tested	Adopted
Senegal	–Not tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–Not tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–Not tested	Adopted
Uganda	–Not tested	Adopted
Zambia	–Not tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–Not tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 13: climate action

Operate by creating manuel suction and pressure alternately.
Natural depth limitation of suction-pressure pumps, with an 8.5m suction limit and a similar amount as a pressure head.

Last updated on 22 May 2024