Groundwater Governance and Adoption of Solar-Powered Irrigation Pumps

This case study assesses the evidence from several solar pump business models being adopted in parts of the Eastern Gangetic Plains, particularly eastern Nepal and northern India, and explores how different models perform in various contexts. It documents lessons for increasing farmers’ resilience to droughts through better groundwater use by the promotion of solar-powered irrigation pumps (SPIPs). Furthermore, this case study documents how different solar pump adoption models in the region perform and provides lessons from the promotion of SPIPs that may help support better groundwater governance, recognizing the opportunities and threats that SPIPs provide.