Abdul K. Koroma, manager of the site, admires the new panels in their garden
Immersing the Pump for the irrigation system
Installing the 3000 litre and 2000 litre tanks
Jalloh supervised the mounting of the solar panels
Simon, Jalloh and the site manager Abdul K. Koroma surveying the well before the work started
The plants enjoy a first taste of sweet solar pumped water
The proud new owners of a 350 Watts solar system
The team lifts one of two 175 Watt panels onto their stand
The water gushed through the pipes as soon as they were connected to the tanks
Training was conducted in this outdoor classroom during and after the installation
Kamaso Solar Irrigation
- Location: Kamaso, Sierra Leone
- Date Completed: May 2011
- System Size: 350 Watts
In May 2011 Chernor Jalloh (Jalloh) of EFO led the installation of a 350 Watt system that pumps water from a well into two tanks with 5000 litres of capacity and from there, irrigates an acre of land for crop production in Kamaso, Koinadugu District. In an initial survey of the site in April 2011 by Simon, EFO’s director, and Jalloh, EFO Programme Manager, with Abdul K. Koroma (AKK), the site manager alongside them, they established that the site would be suitable for a solar irrigation system. The land slopes over an acre area, down to a well at the bottom of the site.
After the project was given the technical go ahead, the installation was carried out over a five day period from the 9th to the 13th of May, 2011. Training on installation and basic maintenance was incorporated into the installation by Jalloh, with practical on-the-job training followed by evening classes with a notepad and pen in the outdoor classroom (a selection of rocks at the top of the site that form a seating area). This gave a great sense of ownership of the project to the labourers and site leaders as well as being a practical tool in case of the need for basic maintenance of the system.
AKK who has led the efforts to bring a solar irrigation system to the Kamaso site was delighted to see the finished product and is convinced that it will make a huge difference in their day to day work, and will positively affect crop yields too. The irrigation system consists of 2x175 Watt solar panels that pump water up from a well to two big tanks (3000 L and 2000 L) at the top of the site. From there, the water is easily pumped through a maze of watering pipes that zig zag across the land. In the rainy season this is not such a necessity but when the extended dry season comes around from October through to May, the system will be a huge help to the labourers who previously used to water the crops by hand every three days. With this system the crops will have constant irrigation even through the hottest days of the dry season, thanks to the deep well at the bottom of the site.
Solar irrigation systems are a new venture for EFO, and this one will be closely monitored for performance so that the system can be improved if need be and to inform any future irrigation installations.