The Promise of Water and Work
Helping Households Access Deep Aquifers
Many rural households in Ethiopia do not have access to water for irrigation or a safe domestic water supply. Many travel long distances by foot or by donkey cart to carry water from a stream or a public well, and transporting enough water for crops is nearly impossible. Although there is often water underneath the land much closer to where people live, the aquifers are just too deep to access affordably. That's where IDE's unique approach changes the story. Our manually operated rope pump can lift enough water to irrigate a 7,000 square foot plot from depths of up to 60 feet, allowing farmers like Nesru Shemsu (pictured above) to farm previously barren plots of land, and provide drinking water for his family much closer to home.
Affordable Wells Using Asian Method
In many areas where IDE works, the needs for both human powered pumps and access to affordable wells go hand in hand. Especially in Africa, the drilling of affordable wells is a top priority, as access to the necessary equipment and expertise is extremely limited in poor rural areas.
In January 2009, IDE brought two consultants from Nepal to Ethiopia to introduce the Gangetic manual sludge drilling method, an efficient and affordable alternative to using scarce mechanical well-drilling equipment. For as little as $30-40, trained well drillers can sink 60-100 feet of pipe into the ground, allowing water access with a rope pump. During the month-long consultancy, the Nepali well driller "mistri" (craftsmen) trained a crew of local Ethiopian well drillers in the method. They drilled several successful wells at the edge of Lake Ziway to irrigate vegetables on mineral-rich land exposed when the lake recedes in the dry season.
Wells in this soft soil can be drilled and developed in one day, and the total cost of a well (including the pipe, well filter, and pump) is in the range of $80 to $120, making it an affordable solution for small farm holders. In addition, Ethiopian well drillers trained in the manual sludge method can earn more income from offering a new skill to previously out of reach customers.
