New pump eases burden for farmers

by STELLA CHERONO
Aside from using it as a means of transport, there is another reason why a farmer should buy a motorcycle – pumping water.
A new water pump, developed by Farmlink Africa and currently being exhibited the Kisumu ASK show, eases the burden of irrigation by relying on the engine of a motorcycle.

The device has a capacity of pumping between 22,000 to 40,000 litres of water per hour, consuming a measly 0.2 litres of petrol in an hour.

“This pump is mounted to a motorcycle Power Take Over, commonly known as the engine shaft, that drives it as it pumps the water from its source,” said Farmlink Africa sales director Mwangi Mbugiro.

He said the device can also pump water from a well of up to 40 feet, but the speed and the amount of water is dependent on the slope.

“On a not so steep place, the water is pumped so fast as compared to pumping it from a well that is deep” Mr Mwangi said.

The pump, he added, has the ability to pump water to as far as 50 meters uphill for a continuous operating time of 100 hours and is suitable for pumping water for irrigation, car washing, firefighting, spraying crops and for fumigating.

“The advantage of this machine is that it uses a locomotive that can be used for other purposes as compared to the common diesel water pump that performs one purpose only and lies idle when you are not pumping water,” Mr Mwangi.

Mr Mwangi said that the 1.6 Kg pump costs Sh 12,000, adding that the company has sold 30 units of the pump in the last three weeks.

“The pipe that is suitable to be used along with this pump retails at Sh 400 per meter but the pump comes with some few meters of the pipe” He said.

“There are so many inventions that can be used in agriculture to enhance food production and alleviate poverty and hunger,” he said.