This document outlines a project to ensure sustainable access to drinking and agricultural water in Nepal and India. The project has two main goals: 1) Revive drying springs in mid hills of Nepal and India through hydrogeological studies, mapping springs, and revival activities. 2) Pilot solar powered irrigation pumps as a climate resilient solution in Nepal by studying their impacts on livelihoods, gender, institutions, and replacing diesel pumps. The project is led by ICIMOD and involves partners from Helvetas, ACWADAM, Atom Solar, and researchers from George Washington University and Harvard University. It will last from 2015-2016 and focus on selected sites in Nepal and India.

1. International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development
Kathmandu, Nepal
Reviving springs and piloting
solar pumps
Through participatory water use
master plans (WUMPs)
WLE Project Launch: 18th Feb 2015

2. Background
• One of the five projects funded by Water, Land and
Ecosystems Program of the CGIAR
• A part of Ganges Focal Region Project
• Duration January 2015-December 2016 (2 years)
• Partners:
– ICIMOD (Lead)
– Helvetas, Nepal
– ACWADAM, India
– Atom Solar, India
– Researchers from George Washington University and Harvard
University

3. Goals and objectives
• Goal: To ensure affordable and sustainable
access to drinking and agricultural water for
women and men in mid hills and Terai
• Objectives
– Revive drying springs in mid hills of Nepal and
Uttarakhand, India
– Promote solar pumps as a climate resilient and
poverty alleviation solution in Nepal Terai
– Incorporate components of spring revival and SPIP into
community led water use planning

4. Water Use Master Plans
(WUMPs)
• WUMP exercises are carried out by Helvetas
and its partners
• To help identify status of existing water
resources
• And prioritize future water resource investment
needs
• Using a participatory planning process linked
with local area development plans

5. Reviving drying springs: Research
Questions
• What explains behaviour and use of springs and
how can springs be revived?
– How does hydrogeology and other natural processes like
rainfall and land cover govern behaviour of springs?
– How does socio-economic; policy institutional and multi-
layered governance issues affect springs?
– How does performance of springs affect women and
men differently?
– How can training and capacity building of local
community members help in long term sustainability?
– How can drying springs be revived?

6. Reviving drying springs: How?
• Comprehensive mapping of all springs in selected sites and
one time discharge measurement
• Selection of smaller number of springs for regular discharge &
quality monitoring (Apr 2015 to Dec 2016)
• Detailed hydrogeological and socio-economic studies
• Conceptual models of spring sheds and management plans
• Revive selected springs through spring revival activities (e.g.
earthwork or treatment of recharge areas)

7. Reviving springs: Where?
• Selected VDCs in Dailekh and
Sindhupalchowk districts of Nepal
• Selected blocks in Nainital district of
Uttarakhand
• Lead partner: ACWADAM
• Supported by Helvetas and ICIMOD

8. Piloting solar powered irrigation
pumps (SPIPs): Research questions
• Can SPIPs replace traditional irrigation pumps in
a clean and cost effective way and positively
impact livelihoods of small and women farmers in
Terai?
– What are the impacts of SPIPs on cropping pattern;
crop productivity; and farm incomes?
– What are the gender differentiated impacts of SPIPs?
– What institutional and financial models are most
effective to ensure access to SPIPs?
– What are the impacts of SPIP adoption on
atmospheric pollution?

9. Piloting solar pumps: How?
• Preliminary surveys of agriculture and water use
• Setting up of 3 pilots with institutional variations
– Woman farmer now using small diesel pump
– Farmer cooperative now using large diesel pump
– Male farmer now using small electric pump
• Semi-rigorous study of pilots to draw lessons
• Setting up 20-30 pumps using an experimental
design – with institutional and financial variations
• Rigorous impact evaluation studies
• Concrete recommendations on institutional and
financial models most appropriate for Nepal for
further up scaling

10. Piloting solar pumps: Where?
• Saptari district in Nepal Terai
– Least household level electrification among all Terai
districts
– Largest area under vegetables among all districts in
Nepal
– Widespread use of small and large diesel pumps for
irrigation
• Partners
– Atom Solar for solar pumps
– Researchers from GWU, Harvard and ICIMOD for
impact evaluation

11. Thank you
Aditi Mukherji (PL, ICIMOD) aditi.mukherji@icimod.org
Vijay Khadgi (Coordinator, ICIMOD) vijay.khadgi@icimod.org
Bikram Rana (Helvetas) bikram.rana@helvetas.np.org
Himanshu Kulkarni (ACWADAM) acwadam@gmail.com
Vivek Mundkur (Atom Solar) vivek.mundkur@gmail.com
Alicia Harley (Harvard) agharley@gmail.com
Ram Fishman (GWU) ram.fishman@gmail.com