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A third of all the food we consume is produced by small-hold farmers. There are about 500 million small-hold farms worldwide, employing over two billion people. These farmers are often the first to be impacted by changes in our climate and environment. Spowdi, the Swedish green-tech company, wants to change the equation and power these farmers towards a better livelihood. Their first stop is India.

India is a large farming country, with an estimated 136 million small-hold farms. These farms are mainly dependent on diesel pumps or fossil fuel-powered electric grids for irrigation. A regular diesel pump, for instance, burns an equivalent of 700 kilograms of CO2 each year. Here, Spowdi’s drip irrigation system is a gamechanger. The solar-powered irrigation system uses only the sun as its power source. This helps the farmers reduce their dependencies on fossil fuels and thus lower irrigation costs. Spowdi’s system, which is optimized for drip-irrigation, also helps farmers conserve water; a crucial factor in a water-stressed country like India.

“The system is very energy efficient. Through rolled-out hoses it is strong enough to enable drip irrigation directly onto the plant and its roots for up to a one-acre farm generating fertile crops. It provides a far better precision since you focus the irrigation to the plant, thereby reducing water use on the farm, compared to flooding. Our system is mobile, so the farmer can bring it home at night or share it with the farmer next door,” says Yasmina Ganse, Chief Operating Officer at Spowdi.

HIGHER YIELD, MORE PROFITABILITY 

Ann-Sofie Bergort, Spowdi’s Chief Marketing Officer, emphasizes that apart from the positive climate action, the solution also enables farmers to achieve greater profitability and financial security, through diversified and increased harvests.

“Often, Indian farmers focus on one single crop per harvest season. With a more efficient and automated irrigation system, one can optimize the use of one’s farmland while saving time, that can be used for other activities. We know from experience that farmers can get more harvests from the same area, which means that the investment results in higher profitability, fossil-free operations and lower water use”.

CSR OPPORTUNITIES

Spowdi sells its system in India through its Smart Farming concept, in collaboration with local distributors. The aim is to provide the farmer with the ideal tools and prerequisites to run the farm in a regenerative, fossil-free, and profitable manner.

Businesses worldwide can also contribute to higher food production and improved farming life by supporting the solution through a CSR initiative.

“The irrigation system can be a costly investment for a small-hold farmer. That’s why we also work with providing decent and fair financing solutions. India’s increased focus on renewable energy is also essential in transforming towards fossil-free and regenerating farming,” says Ann-Sofie Bergort. 

ABOUT SPOWDI

Spowdi offers a way to transport water with the sun as only power source. Its patented solution can help small-hold farmers worldwide produce more food with less water and clean energy – enabling profitable, independent, and sustainable farming. Spowdi’s vision is to protect the planet and generate more food for a growing population. Spowdi is currently present in India and Europe.

Spowdi.com