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Smallholder farmers who make up the majority of Ugandan agriculture farmers who practice subsistence farming could find a solution to affordable irrigation.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), 81% of the population is engaged in rain-fed subsistence farming for food and cash income.

“This irrigation can pump 60 litres per minute or about three jerrycans per minute,” Edward Boomeera, a senior partnership officer with Kick Start, said. The development of the simple, but innovative irrigation technique that can be used by simply peddling was presented at the Harvest Money Expo at Kololo Airstrip Grounds during the three-day event, which is running under the theme, of farming as a business.

The event will end on Sunday.

A seven-year-old girl was seen easily peddling the irrigation system with ease. “She is enjoying it, so as a farmer, you can plant and tend your garden as the children use and enjoy it,” Boomeera said. The money maker with maximum irrigation can handle two acres of vast land, and according to Boomeera, it is easy to operate.

“As long as you have a river, a pond, an underground tank, or a dam, you can attach a pipe and water your field of crops,” Derrick Semyalo, a mechanical engineer, said to a curious crowd that was taking notes.

According to Semyalo, who often climbed the tank to experiment with the irrigation system, the technology is sometimes used in washing bays, nursery beds, flowers, and home-grown vegetables. “Others buy it and rent it out to farmers upcountry,” Semyalo said.

The system goes for sh500,000, while the starting pump, which uses less energy, costs sh300,000. “Seasons are changing, and these days farmers can hardly tell when it will rain or shine, so this pump comes in handy,” Boomeera said. The technology, which is easy to set up, does not use fuel or electricity, and the spare parts are easy to acquire from the company.