Muzaffarpur: Two women have brought winds of change to Ratanpura village in Muzaffarpur’s Bochahan block by introducing solar energy to irrigate the farmlands. Baleshwari Devi and Usha Devi not only became the faces of change for farmers, they helped small-holding farmers irrigate their fields at lower costs while encouraging others to embrace entrepreneurship.
Until 2023, Baleshwari and Usha were restricted to household chores and livestock like most women in the village. But once they decided to take the reins of their lives into their own hands and adopted solar-powered irrigation pumps, the entire village looked up to them as change makers. Apart from using the energy in their own fields, they turned entrepreneurs by providing other farmers water at affordable prices by supplying solar energy based irrigation facility. This boosted their morale as much as increased their income.
Irrigation has always been a costly affair for farmers in Muzaffarpur. While diesel pumps are expensive, frequent power cuts make electric pumps unreliable. Solar pumps, however, have come as a change for good.
“Most farmers here own very small plots, barely a kattha or two. The high cost of diesel and electricity made irrigation a struggle for them,” says Usha Devi. “With solar pumps, we can irrigate up to four kattha of land in an hour for just Rs 100. Diesel costs Rs 150– Rs 200 for the same, and electricity isn’t much cheaper.”
The pumps, which run on sunlight and need no fuel, have made irrigation accessible and reliable. Farmers now worry less about rising diesel prices or power outages and can focus on growing better crops.
The benefits of solar irrigation extend beyond just cutting costs. Solar-powered pumps are helping farmers grow a wider range of crops, including cash crops like vegetables, in addition to staples like paddy and maize. The better yields mean higher profits.
Baleshwari Devi, on the other hand, speaks on how solar energy has changed the status of migration. “Earlier, many young people left for cities to work. Now, they find jobs here, either on farms or helping with the pumps,” she explains. Besides, in many places, small farmers were forced to buy water from neighboring farmers but that has stopped now, she adds.
Baleshwari and Usha have opened the path for many other women in the village and today, more than 90 women across Muzaffarpur have turned entrepreneurs by using solar pumps to support over 3,000 farmers. Organizations like Jeevika and the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) have played a big role in spreading awareness and providing resources.
Mukesh Kumar, a team leader at AKRSP, says the change is visible. “Farmers now get water on time and at a lower cost. They no longer have to depend on erratic power supplies or costly diesel pumps. This has made a big difference in their earnings too,” he stated.
The journey hasn’t been easy for the women. “It took time to convince farmers to trust solar pumps,” says Baleshwari. “But once they saw the results, they have not looked back.”
Now, these women are not only earning well for their families but also leading their community towards a more sustainable way of farming. “We are helping farmers save money and grow better crops, but we are also showing that women can do this work and do it well,” adds Usha. This is also a lesson in empowerment, she quipped.
The impact of solar irrigation in Bochahan block is just beginning to show. With more women taking up solar-powered farming, the word has already spread as people realise the benefits. The result is for all to see - local farmers are saving money, women becoming financially independent, and villages going solar.
“Solar energy has changed our lives,” says Usha. “We’ve gone from being homemakers to entrepreneurs—not just for our families but for the whole community.” Many women have become self-reliant by joining this campaign under the leadership of Bageshwari and Usha Devi.
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