Peter is a solar water pump farmer of a four-acre commercial farm near Nakuru, Kenya. Peter gave us a tour of his amazing shamba (farm), including the new borehole and water pan he is installing to improve irrigation across his whole farm.
It was great to see the different ways Peter is using and planning to use his Futurepump SF2 solar pump to grow even more produce on his farm. We had a nice chat with Peter at the end of our tour which he was kind enough to let us share here so he could ‘help other farmers improve their shambas’ – thank you Peter!
This is what Peter had to say about being a solar water pump farmer:
What have you been using your Futurepump solar pump for?
We have been using the pump to pump water from our water pan and our underground water tanks, and it has been very effective. It has been able to supply our water and also, it’s cost-effective because there’s no [ongoing fuel] cost involved.
Any other benefits to using a solar water pump so far?
It’s able to draw water up to the length that we want, up to overhead tanks and also to the shamba.
The benefits of course our cost, there are no [running] costs involved!
How does using solar compare to other water pumps you have used before?
Before this, I used to pump my water from the tank using a fuel pump. These days I don’t buy a single bit [of fuel], so that is a lot of savings!
The only limitation is when there is no sun, you don’t get water.
(That is one of the disadvantages: sunlight is needed to pump the water up, but using a water tank for gravity feed when it is dark is an easy, fuel-free solution.)
What have you been able to irrigate on your farm during the dry season?
We grow tomatoes in the greenhouse, we grow onions outside, we grow kale and spinach.
Mostly we are using drip, and partly sprinklers.
How do you capture and store your irrigation water?
We have water gutters on the greenhouse, we harvest this and put it in the underground tank. We use the Futurepump to pump it up to our tanks, and then it comes by gravity to the greenhouse.
We are digging another water pan, so there will be a constant supply of water. This Futurepump will come in very handy to move water around.
How have you found using your SF2 solar pump?
We have not had any issues, not had any problems. It is easy to take care of.
The farmhands enjoy using it as it saves their work, it makes it easier. They just need to move the pipe for the sprinklers outside, that’s all.
I like the pump, in fact, I regret why I had not bought it earlier because it is actually saving me money and serving me well.
I’m a very satisfied person, and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anybody else!
At Futurepump, we are experts in the manufacturing of solar water pumps, with over 15,000 solar pumps sold in more than 20 countries – and counting!
We offer a range of solar water pumps to meet the needs of 1 to 2 acres farmers. All our solar pumps come with a market-leading 10-year warranty promise, so you can be confident that you are getting quality products that will irrigate your farm for years.
You can find out more about which of our solar water pumps is best for your farm along with details on where to buy at shop.futurepump.com