Location: Ethiopia
Application: Agricultural irrigation
Water source: Wells/Reservoirs
Solution: Automated irrigation system
Background
Privately owned Desta Farm secured the site as part of a push to develop agriculture in the local region. It consists of over 30 hectares of open fields for the growing of corn, tomato, capsicum and cucumber plants.
Challenge
The site had no existing irrigation system in the fields. It relied for the most part on the rain during the two-to-three-month rainy season that is typical of the local climate, alongside water from a well.
As a result, despite the rich soil type, the site only produced small yields of low-quality crops due to the lack of irrigation.
Solution
We designed, supplied and installed a fully automated irrigation system for the different kinds of plants grown at the site. This included a well pumping station, head control and piping system including dripline and sprinklers. We also created two hectares of nursery greenhouses.
A key feature of the project was the design and construction of a reservoir which has the dual benefits of helping to remove sediment and small particles from the water sourced from the well, as well as providing a week’s worth of irrigation water at a time without needing to draw from the well.
We carried out the full construction for the project including earth works and civil engineering for all the systems and supplied all materials including pumps, electric panels, electric generators, valves, filters and pipes.
In addition, we delivered a complete post-sale service including training and agronomical guidance on irrigation, fertilization, soil tillage and pest control management.
Results
Desta Farms has seen increased yields and a superior quality of product thanks to the new automated irrigation system. This has enabled them to charge higher prices for their produce and opened up new export opportunities as the site now meets the required QA standards.
