LocationsStrengthening Resilience in Myanmar One Solar Panel at a Time
Rays of Hope
August 20, 2024
In the townships of Nyaung U and Myingyan, rainfall is scarce.
Located in Myanmar's drought-prone Dry Zone, which is home to around one third of the country's population, these communities often struggle with irrigating crops - their primary source of both food and income.
To address this problem, farmers rely on pump systems, which draw water from deep underground or nearby rivers, even if these sources have not dried up.
These systems traditionally have required electricity or fuel to operate. However, the ongoing conflict in Myanmar has severely damaged the country's power infrastructure, disrupting electricity generation and transmission, and leading to unstable grids and frequent blackouts. At the same time, fuel prices have surged, making it unaffordable to most rural farmers.
The result has been an energy crisis that has further exacerbated the already daunting challenges facing millions of residents in Myanmar's rural areas, trying to persevere amid a devastating conflict.
Farmers often prefer to work at night because electricity is not available during the day, which has consequences for their safety and overall health. In many cases, they have no choice but to reduce the size of their farming plots.
With funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea, UNDP has worked to support these communities by facilitating a more sustainable and effective way for farmers to irrigate their crops, leveraging solar energy.
Since 2020, over 50 solar water pumps have been installed in Nyaung U and Myingyan townships, directly benefitting more than 130 villages and nearly 2,000 farmers.
Powered by 3 to 5 kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) panels, these pump systems not only improve irrigation but also benefit the environment. Throughout the project, emissions have been reduced by over 3,000 tons of CO2 – equal to the annual emissions generated by 1,287 cars. Costs for farmers have also been cut by 16% compared to using conventional diesel-powered water pumps.
Furthermore, for women farmers, diesel-powered pumps often require physical assistance from men to operate the engine. In contrast, the solar system is very easy to use, allowing women to operate it themselves, thereby providing them with greater independence.
Through this project, over 150,000 people have been introduced to solar technologies and trained in operating and maintaining PV systems. Alongside innovative agriculture practices, these technologies have helped to both save water and improve yields.
In addition, some villages have also used solar-powered water pumps to provide to drinking water for thousands of residents. Due to water scarcity in Myanmar's Dry Zone, accessing clean water is an urgent need for rural communities.
Moving forward, UNDP will look to scale up this pilot initiative further, expanding it to more households, villages, and townships.
Beyond the installation of water pumps, efforts will also aim to provide solar-powered lighting, as well as solar dryer domes for vegetables and other crops.
By leveraging green technologies and renewable energy solutions, such as solar power, vulnerable communities throughout Myanmar can enhance their resilience and ability to withstand shocks.
In times of crisis, there is a ray of hope and a reason to smile.
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