MoneyMaker Solar pumps: Mechanized irrigation pumps

Low-cost and fast irrigation technologies for smallholder farmers.

The MoneyMaker Solar pump, weighing 2kg, is complemented by a 60W solar panel. Compact in size at approximately 10cm x 10cm x 20cm, it operates as a submersible pressure pump, capable of lifting water upwards of 10 meters. Hoses (¾”) are optional and add additional weight and cost. This solar-powered solution offers a lightweight and efficient option for small-scale irrigation, reducing dependence on manual methods and traditional power sources.

This technology is pre-validated.

8•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 7/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive medium

Under 18: Positive high

Women: Positive high

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: Much less carbon released

Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health

Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility

Water use: Much less water used

Problem

Water Scarcity in Small Farms: Small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa struggle with water scarcity, affecting crop irrigation.
Manual Irrigation Challenges: Manual and labor-intensive irrigation methods, like bucket systems, pose efficiency and labor burden issues for small plots.
Financial Barriers to Technology Adoption: Smallholder farmers face financial constraints in adopting modern irrigation technologies, limiting their ability to shift from traditional practices.

Solution

MoneyMaker irrigation pumps offer an efficient and affordable solution to mitigate water scarcity by providing a reliable water source for small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
It replaces manual and labor-intensive irrigation methods, offering a more efficient and sustainable solution to ease the burden on farmers while optimizing the irrigation process.
It provides cost-effective irrigation solutions, such as the Starter Pump, enabling smallholder farmers to transition from traditional methods to more productive and sustainable irrigation practices.

Key points to design your project

The MoneyMaker Solar pump offers an efficient solution for delivering water to crops, reducing labor and costs compared to manual methods. To integrate the MoneyMaker Solar pump technology:

Raise awareness through community demonstrations to showcase its benefits.
Provide comprehensive training to operators for maintenance and operation of the MoneyMaker Solar pump.
Consider the cost (depending on country tax regime and logistics), and determine the quantity needed for your project.
Engage a team of trainers to provide ongoing support and maintenance assistance to operators after the initial training.

Develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to educate farmers and stakeholders about the benefits and proper use of the MoneyMaker Solar pump.

Collaborate with agricultural development institutes and fleet managers to facilitate the adoption and implementation in various areas.

By following these steps, you can effectively integrate the MoneyMaker Solar pump technology into your agricultural project, enhancing efficiency and productivity while reducing labor costs.

1.8 Liter/second

Water distribution

IP

Trademark

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 8 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: tested

Level of use 7 out of 9

Common use by projects NOT connected to technology provider

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	–Not adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 13: climate action

The solar pumps utilizes a submersible pressure pump mechanism.
Capable of lifting water upwards of 10 meters.
Leverages solar energy harnessed by the 60W solar panel to power the pump.
Provides an efficient and sustainable alternative to manual surface pumps, overcoming depth limitations associated with suction-pressure pumps.

Last updated on 21 March 2025