LocationsPowered by Possibility: How Solar Irrigation Opened New Opportunities for Women Farmers in Odisha
July 3, 2026
In Tangajhari, a village in Odisha's Nabarangpur district, farming was shaped by uncertainty. Water arrived when the rains did, or when diesel was affordable and available. For smallholder farmers Amara Bhatra and Laxmi Bhatra, this meant cultivating hope alongside constraint, season after season.
That changed in 2024, when a one HP solar-powered irrigation pump was installed beside their plots through UNDP’s Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) initiative, with implementation support from Harsha Trust.
The pump was registered in their names. That detail, seemingly administrative, proved transformative.
Life Before Solar Irrigation
Before the intervention, Amara and Laxmi cultivated small patches of land, barely enough for household consumption. Water access depended on erratic rainfall or diesel-powered pumps that required a 30-kilometre journey to town for fuel.
"We could only grow vegetables in small patches, mostly for household use. Sometimes the crops suffered because water could not be given at the right time," they recall.
Beyond the logistics, there was another layer of invisibility. Women did much of the agricultural work but had little say in how it was managed. Their labour went unrecognised; decisions remained with the men.
A Turning Point
In 2024, Amara and Laxmi were selected as beneficiaries of the UNDP DRE initiative.
“At first, we thought it would be like other programmes, where men operate the pump even if it’s in our names. But this time it was different, we really owned it, and our families supported us,” they explain.
The pump was designed to be user-friendly and registered in the women's names. Training and exposure visits on crop management, pest control, and market linkages complemented the intervention. Ownership of the pump gave the women direct control over its operation and strengthened their confidence in managing their farms.
Expanding Cultivation: From 50 Cents to One Acre Each
With reliable irrigation, Amara and Laxmi expanded cultivation from half an acre to one full acre each, growing vegetables like brinjal, tomato, cauliflower, and even high-value strawberries. Multi-cropping and rotation became possible, and strawberry cultivation alone brought nearly ₹1 lakh in income last year.
“The single crop gave us returns we never imagined,” they say. “We can plan and grow as we like, without worrying about diesel or water shortages.”
Reduced Costs, Increased Profits
Eliminating diesel cut costs entirely, while the pump’s low maintenance and zero fuel requirement freed both money and time. The savings were invested in improving farm inputs and household needs, making farming not just viable but profitable.
“The money we used to spend on diesel and travel is now saved. Our income has grown, and we can plan better,” they say.
Income, Investment, and Shared Decision-Making
Laxmi earned around ₹30,000 and Amara nearly ₹80,000 last year. Together with their husbands, they invest in children’s education, health, farm improvements, and household necessities, even buying small assets like gold.
“Earlier, our husbands decided everything,” they share. “After the pump installation and exposure visits, they started listening to our advice. Now we make decisions together, whether for crops or household investments.”
As Amara and Laxmi grew more confident in their knowledge of farming techniques and market dynamics, their contributions to household decisions became harder to overlook.
"Sharing what we learned changed everything. Our husbands now take our advice seriously," they say.
Recognition, Beyond the Farm
In Tangajhari, the effects extended to the wider community. Other members of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) began approaching Amara and Laxmi for advice on solar irrigation.
“People listen to us now. Other women come to ask questions and are encouraged to try this too,” they say proudly.
For Amara and Laxmi, the most durable outcome is not just the income. It is the shift in how they are seen, and how they see themselves.
"Empowerment is self-recognition and recognition by society. The training and exposure changed how people see us and how we see ourselves,” they reflect.
About the initiative: Supported by the Japan Supplementary Budget and aligned with the Framework for promotion of Decentralised Renewable Energy Livelihood application of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, UNDP's Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) initiative is expanding clean-energy livelihoods across Odisha, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and Bihar.
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