Barsha Pump - H

Barsha Pump - Hydro-powered Irrigation
Solution
Barsha, meaning rain in Nepalese, is the name given to this hydro-powered irrigation pump. It has been
developed with a vision to provide a sustainable irrigation solution to farmers across the world. This
waterwheel utilizes the energy from the flow of rivers and canals to pump water, regardless of the flow
velocity.
The Barsha pump provides a sustainable solution to farmers across the world. It works on the principle
of spiral pumping, using the kinetic energy of the waterwheel to pump water to higher elevations
without the need for active mechanical parts to create pumping action. The pump consists of spirals
where air is compressed between water columns resulting in air pressure that lifts the water.
The current version with 1.5m in diameter is able to lift up to 20 metres vertical head and 2 km inland in
flat lands, while reaching up to 40,000 liters of water per day, depending on the flow velocity of the
water.
The water pumped can be used to flood fields, pump to a reservoir to couple with an irrigation system
such as a sprinkler.
This low-maintenance technology is helpful in providing water to areas which would not otherwise be
easily reached.
Background Information & Social Impact
By 2050 the world population is estimated to reach 9.7 billion people meaning that food production
must be increased on the given area of agricultural land available. Water is essential for growth and this
pump addresses the prevalent need for the cost-effective, low-maintainence pumping of water.
Irrigation can increase food productivity by 2 to 5 times. However, this has to be done in an energy and
water efficient way and this pump enables use of water-saving technologies such as drip and sprinkler
without using external fuel or electricity.
The Barsha pump is made with indigenous elements and does not need much maintenance as there are
only few moving parts. As a result of these factors, the Barsha pump can save over 70% of watering costs
for farmers, compared to conventionally-used fossil-fuel based pumps.
The pumps have been implemented in areas such as Nepal and Indonesia, where lands were barren and
being cultivated only once a year in the rainy season. Farmers could not farm in the dry season due to
lack of irrigation, and the costs of using kerosene or gasoline pumps were prohibitive. When the Barsha
pump was implemented, farmers could farm different cash crops in the dry season as well, helping to
increase their income level.
The company, aQysta, targets small to mid-sized commercial farms that lift water from flowing surface
water sources. In this targeted market segment, the Barsha pump has a strongest competitive advantage
compared to conventional technologies, thanks to its independence of fossil fuels. This target group has
a willingness and ability to pay, a prevalent need for water, and a motivation to grow with the help of
technology.
In addition to commercial farms, aQysta also aims to support farmers who wish to shift from subsistence
to commercial farming by providing irrigation facilities, in partnership with other development
organizations. Whereas the end-users of the technology are always farmers, the customers can range
from individual farmers to farmer co-operatives, development organizations/projects to government
bodies.
The use of the Barsha pump helps reducing CO2 emissions (250-500 kg/hectare) by replacing
conventional diesel pumps used for watering and, at the same time, helps enhance food security.
Implementation
Currently, the price level of the Barsha pump is still quite high, however it is expected to decrease
drastically with economies of scale and local production. Additionally, aQysta is looking to experiment
with a pay-per-use system which would also generate additional employment opportunities.
It is important to note that the end-users of the technology and the customers of the company are
different.
While the end-users of the pumps will be small- and mid-sized farmers, aQysta does not intend to sell
the pumps to individual farmers but only to organizational customers (B2B) (private distributors,
government and not-for-profit) who do business with commercial farmers.
These organizations in-turn will sell and distribute the pumps to the farmers, through appropriate
financial mechanisms that facilitate the transactions between the distributing organization and the
farmers, allowing the lowering of initial capital costs for the farmers to purchase the Barsha pump.
Appropriate financial mechanisms such as micro-financing, government subsidies and pay-per-use

mechanisms are to be developed. Government subsidies are envisioned to lower the initial market price
of the Barsha pump until a sufficient scale is reached.
Facts & Figures
The pump consists of spirals where air is compressed between water columns resulting in air pressure
that lifts the water.
The current version with 1.5m in diameter lifts up to 20 metres vertical head and 2 km inland in flat
lands, while reaching up to 40,000 liters of water per day, depending on flow velocity of water.
No fuel or electricity required
No operating expenses
No polluting greenhouse gases emitted

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Barsha Pump - H

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Barsha Pump - Hydro-powered Irrigation

Background Information & Social Impact

Appropriate financial mechanisms such as micro-financing, government subsidies and pay-per-use

Facts & Figures

No fuel or electricity required

No polluting greenhouse gases emitted

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