Are you looking to buy or lease a cheap irrigation water pump to push or pull water from the source to your farm or home? This guide will guide you on advantages of owning an irrigation water pump, a guide on how to choose the best pump and the major sellers or companies in the country where you can get one.
Around 83% of land in Kenya is arid or semi-arid (ASAL). The farmers and herders in those counties face occasional droughts and overgrazing challenges. A 2016 study shows that drip irrigation can increase crop yields by up to 7 times in Kenya. it will benefit farmers’ income and biodiversity tenfold by watering crops and livestock in dry areas.
Why you need a water pump for irrigation
Irrigation is a type of climate-smart farming (CSA). You will supply water for crops on the farm as insurance against the risk of droughts. It will guarantee your yields and income despite low rainfall. Livestock farmers can harvest rainwater in surface and underground tanks and use it to grow and preserve animal fodder crops. During drought, you can use it to get high milk and meat yields.
On disadvantages, irrigation can cause waterlogging, soil alkalinity, and pollution of underground water sources. Besides. it can cause soil erosion and loss of fertile topsoil.
Given the above benefits of irrigation, you may need to consider owning a water pump to try it. Learn about the factors to consider to choose the best. It also has a list of the best types that are available in Kenya that you can buy.
How to choose the best water pump in Kenya
To choose the best irrigation water pump for your farm, consider the following five factors. These are cost, impact on pollution and flow rate. Others are the source of energy and ease of moving it.
Affordability; You will consider knowing how cheap it is to buy and maintain your water pump of choice. Some types of pumps like petrol and diesel generators have low buying price but may be expensive in the long run from using expensive fuel. Others like solar-powered water pumps and windmill are expensive to install but have almost zero cost to run. Besides, some pump retailers have credit arrangements. You can consider buying a pump in which you can afford one through debt.
Power Supply: Grid electricity is the most efficient source of energy to power water pumps. If you are in a remote rural area, buy petrol or diesel water pumps. Besides, you can use wind or solar energy pumps. Sometimes, the electricity bills may be costly, hence use other water pumps.
Eco-friendly: Going green and use of clean energy like solar has many benefits for the environment. It helps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. If your farm has green goals, go for a clean energy water pump like solar, wind pumps, siphons or hydrams.
Total Dynamic Head: Total dynamic head concerns with the vertical distance you need to move water from the source to the highest point before reaching crops or tank. The other factor is the pump’s flow rate to get the water volumes that you can pump in a day. To determine these, look into the pump’s horsepower (Hp) and its engines rotations per minute (RPM). You will need submersible or shallow pumps based on the source to generate maximum pressure for moving water.
Portability: Buy a mobile irrigation water pump that you can move from home to different pieces of land. Small pumps like the motorbike water pumps are portable. You will mount them to a motorcycle that you can go with to all places on your farm.
Where to water pumps in Kenya?
Many companies sell water pumps in Kenya. Some are wholesalers and retailers that you can visit the physical or online shop to compare prices.
If you are looking to buy a water pump in a town near you, consider the companies listed below. They have shops and offices in Nairobi, Nakuru Eldoret, Nyahururu, Meru and Kisumu. They include;
- Jumia online shop
- Sun culture
- Grekkon Ltd.
- Davis and shirtliff
- Elgon Kenya limited.
