Innovator finds new use for boda bodas as irrigation pumps

There are an estimated two million motorcycles in Kenya used as taxis, which are more familiarly referred to as boda bodas. These motorcycles have eased transport in urban and rural areas, reduced youth unemployment and boosted local economies through the spare parts business and related services.

Innovators and researchers have in recent years been looking at ways to diversify the use of the ubiquitous boda boda beyond the transport business. And they are beginning to register successes.

Farm Link Africa, a Kenyan firm, has developed a motorcycle-operated water pump that can be used for smallholder irrigation.

“With the accessibility of boda bodas to almost every household, their use in irrigation has opened up new opportunities for those with a small farm and a motorcycle,” said Mwangi Mbuguiro, a director at Farm Link Africa.

The motorcycle pump has proved a huge attraction at trade fairs and other agricultural exhibitions, particularly for vegetable farmers.

The pump, which is easily attached to a motorcycle, retails at Sh10,000, with another Sh5,000 required to purchase connection pipes.

“With one litre of petrol, the pump can push 40,000 litres of water to a height of 50 metres. With a flow rate of 40 cubic metres and quick assembling, the pump can be attached to a motorcycle to operate a sprinkler or push water from a well into a storage tank for use in drip irrigation,” said Mr Mbuguiro, who is also the developer behind the innovation.

The pump is also useful for other activities that utilise pressurised water, such as spraying crops and livestock, as well cleaning carpets and cars. Equally, water for domestic use can be pumped from a source to a storage tank.

James Simiyu, a boda boda operator in Kakamega County and smallholder vegetable farmer, said: “We have had to fetch water from shallow wells by hand to irrigate our plots. It is a very tiring job. I’m happy to hear this can easily be substituted by a motorcycle once the day’s transport business is over. This technology will improve our vegetable farming.”

More than 80 per cent of vegetables consumed in the country are produced by smallholder farmers who hold less than 1.5 acres of land. Irrigation has been critical in ensuring a continuous supply of vegetables even in the dry season.

“The motorbike offers a sustainable solution for smallholder farmers because of its economical use of fuel compared to conventional diesel pumps, low maintenance costs and low labour requirements,” said Mbuguiro.

“Part of the earnings boda boda operators get from the transport business can be invested in agriculture, spreading investment risks and boosting household food security.”

To minimise wastage of fuel and water, he recommends that farmers utilise drip irrigation, where water is conveyed directly to the roots of a plant.

“A combination of the motorcycle-operated pump with drip irrigation will reduce the costs of production for smallholder farmers and boost crop yields and profits.”

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