How it’s made

The Mobile Drip Irrigation kit is made locally by YICE team supported by local youths and women in communities. The kit is made using locally available materials in Uganda. The main materials used to make the kit include, a water tank (150 – 200litrs), perforated drip irrigation pipes, and a raised metal stand to increase water pressure.

How it works

The kit is easy to use. A farmer needs to station it in the middle of the garden and lay the drip pipes across the garden (preferably in crop lines) – and then opens the water. Once a section of the garden is irrigated, the farmer can move the kit to another station of the garden and irrigate that side. The kit can irrigate– 50 by100 feets at every station and then moved to another side of the garden.

Farmers who own the kits are trained on how to harvest water so they do not have to worry about where to access water for harvesting. However, some farmers who are near water sources can fetch water directly and pour in the kit tank for it to irrigate.

Who are the target users of the kit?

The Mobile Drip Irrigation Kit is designed for smallholder vegetable, Kitchen garden farmers, small orchard farmers, nursery bed farmers, potted plant gardeners as well as urban farmers among others planting on small pieces of land.

For example, tomato farmers will not have to waste much time watering their crops and carrying water in the watering cans – they can simply use the kit. Same applies to nursery bed farmers (be it tree, coffee or any crops) – they can just use the kit to provide water for their seedbeds other than daily watering with a watering can.

Costs associated

The total product cost for the kit is $67 and can be sold to farmers at a price ranging between $80 – $100 to cover for cost of production and operation costs of the organization. Farmers have an opportunity to pay in instalments, and especially after harvesting.

The uniqueness of the kit The kit is durable, locally made and provided to smallholder farmers at a small fee payable in instalments. On top of the kit, farmers are trained on ecological farming and water harvesting practices.