Located in the Agadez region in the north of Niger, there is the Historic Centre of Agadez approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a cultural heritage and included in the World Heritage List, known as the "Gateway to the Desert".

 
Historic Centre of Agadez (Image Source: Publié par Souleymane Ag Anara)

 

Since most of the area has a tropical desert climate, it is dry and rainless all year round. Coupled with unstable power supply, it is very difficult to develop agriculture and animal husbandry even in limited irrigable areas. Therefore, local farmers and herdsmen are often threatened by lack of water for irrigation and food shortages. In order to achieve food security and sustainable agricultural development in the region, the Niger government actively promotes and supports the development of solar water-saving irrigation projects in the region.
 

  

In February 2023, Solartech PB-G3 series 37kW AC solar pumping system was successfully applied to the solar water-saving irrigation project in the Alite irrigation zone in this area. The system uses deep well pumps to pump water from a 230m deep well to two pools of 1200m3 each. At the same time, the two reservoirs are equipped with two 11 kW surface water pumps, which pump water from the reservoirs and transport them to the drip irrigation pipelines on 20 farmlands to supply water to the crops.

37kW solar deep well pumping system control room
 

This system uses multiple advanced functions of the PB-G3 series solar pumping inverter, such as solar priority with grid complementary, multi-linkage system and timing control. On the premise of ensuring water supply and irrigation, the utilization efficiency of solar power generation can be improved to save project investment.

11kW solar surface pumping system control room
 

Two 11kW surface pumps run in multi-linkage
 

 
Sediment Filtration System
 

Surface pump pumps water from reservoir
 

Drip irrigation system for watering crops
 

The successful operation of this project will have a significant impact on the economic and social life of the region. From an economic point of view, crop harvests in these irrigated areas are expected to be very good, increasing the income and purchasing power of local farmers. From a social point of view, the development of agriculture in this region undoubtedly guarantees the supply of food, creates more temporary and permanent employment opportunities, and maintains social stability.

Children in Niger(Image Source: UNICEF)