Indian farmer invents water-powered pump

01 April 1998

Indian farmer invents water-powered pump

AN Indian farmer in the state of Uttar Pradesh has harnessed the natural flow of a river near his village to lift water for irrigation and to provide a source of energy for other purposes.

His Mangal Water Wheel Turbine Pump is built from locally available materials and requires no diesel or electricity to operate the pump. Its only energy source is the flow of water. It is especially advantageous in remote areas where supplies can be erratic and it gets over the problem of the non-affordability of diesel or electric pumps for many farmers.

The device has won inventor Mangal Singh an Innovative Farmer Award from the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development. Its current price is about 400,000 rupees (£7,800) and Singh plans to produce it commercially if the demand is there.

• Financial Times 01/04/98 page 13