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Revolutionising Irrigation for Smallholder Farmers

Oonnati transforms agriculture with sustainable solar irrigation, empowering farmers to grow more with less.

Oonnati

Irrigation-as-a-service

Oonnati is an affordable, Pay-Per-Use solar irrigation service that provides reliable water access to smallholder farmers without the need for upfront investment. Operated by Oorja, the service deploys solar-powered BLDC and AC submersible pumps capable of irrigating up to 25 acres each. After paying a nominal membership fee, farmers with land near a pump can purchase water on demand at fixed tariffs, paying only for the amount they use. Water is accurately metered using flowmeters and billed on a volumetric basis (per cubic meter), ensuring fair and transparent pricing. Each pump typically serves 15–20 neighboring farmers, offering year-round access to sustainable irrigation.

Problems Faced by Farmers

  • High operational expenses of diesel fuel, engine rental, and regular maintenance.
  • Lack of year-round water access limits crop yields and farmer incomes.
  • Immense carbon footprint of diesel irrigation pumps (5% of India’s GHG emissions).

Oorja’s Solution

In India, 300 million farmers rely on groundwater electric or diesel pumps to irrigate their land. 9 million irrigation pumps are diesel based, consuming 4 billion litres of diesel per year. Oorja’s community solar pumping service – Oonnati – provides a means to effectively reach low-income farmers locked out of the subsidy scheme by using an Irrigation-as-a-Service model, thus potentially helping millions of farmers durably transition from diesel to solar pumping.

Features of Oonnati Service

No upfront asset cost to farmers

Year-round access to water, without any hassle

Affordable tariffs, 20-60% cheaper than diesel powered irrigation

Convenience of on-farm irrigation access and Operator assistance.

Pay-Per-Use that accepts cash payments

*Tariff: INR 2 – 4 per m3 of water pumped

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How We Do It?

The Oorja team surveys and selects a suitable site within farmland so nearby farmers can access the pump to irrigate their land, in consultation with the community

Interested customers can sign up by paying a one-time non-refundable membership fee of INR 1,000 per person
At each prospective site, groups of 15-25 members per pump are formed and 45 m2 of land is leased at the centre of the farmland for installation of the solar project
Oorja constructs borewells and procures, installs, tests and commissions the solar equipment

A flowmeter is installed at each system to measure the quantity of water dispensed. The pumps are operated between 9 am and 5 pm by a locally hired Pump Operator.

Customers are charged on the day of service by the Pump Operator, based on their individual water consumption, with payment accepted in both cash and online modes.

The Oorja ground staff take care of prompt repair and maintenance and customer service.

Why Choose Oonnati?

What makes Oonnati stand out is its operations structure which is a Cluster model. 2 to 4 solar pumps of 5 HP each are installed within a village, irrigating up to 100 acres of farmland. This means the farmers no longer need to use diesel pumps and can rely on solar for 100% of their irrigation needs.

Oonnati is priced at least 20% cheaper than diesel-based pumping. It helps farmers save on input costs while guaranteeing year-round water availability, notably during the summer (zayed) season when diesel powered irrigation pumps are often not able to draw groundwater.

Oonnati Traction

Project Completed
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districts in Uttar Pradesh
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satisfied customers
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m3 water pumped
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acres irrigated
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litres of diesel fuel consumption avoided
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MWh clean electricity generated
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last-mile jobs created
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MTCO2e emissions avoided
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Benefits

  • Hassle-free availability of water year-round
  • Ability to grow high-value crops
  • Low-carbon crop cultivation
  • Improved air quality and reduced carbon emissions
  • 2x higher yield
  • 100% higher profit

Testimonials

Oorja's services have transformed my agricultural practices, allowing me to save valuable time and resources. Accessing water for irrigation is now just a button away. I don’t need to search for a diesel pump, install it, or purchase fuel any more.
My farm produce has increased and crops do not dry. I can also cultivate vegetables on my land. Earlier I had to buy vegetables from the market but now I don't have to purchase them, my farm produce is sufficient to feed the whole family.
Now it is very easy to irrigate. Earlier I had to make arrangements one day in advance for irrigation, like purchasing pipe and diesel and laying the pipe on the field. Now the water goes into the drains and reaches into the field. I don't have to put much effort and my crop yield is also good.
I manage to save money because of Oorja solutions. I don't have to work hard and my crops get water on time.