Demand for South African made treadle irrigation pumps grows

Participants in the South African pump manufacturing industry are making inroads into the African market, which promises good returns in light of the growing trends towards agricultural development, local pump manufacturers disclose.

The typical farmer in Africa faces great challenges in irrigating larger surface areas.

However, access to the low-lift, high-capacity, human-powered treadle pumps, enables farmers to overcome the obstacles of irrigation over a large surface area, reports the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage.

While small-scale farmers in many parts of Africa are able to make a modest living from the damp and fertile soil, agricultural development is limited to the crop size that can be watered by hand, since the labourers have historically hauled water by hand in watering buckets to the fields.

Adey Engineering, one of the smaller players in the South African water pump manufacturing industry, is hoping to tap into the increasingly lucrative treadle pump market in Africa.

The company is engaged in talks with large distributors in the African pump industry to manufacture treadle pumps for micro irrigation in African countries, where small crop farming forms part of a vital source of income for many of the inhabitants and the economy.

Treadle pump designer and founder of Adey Engineering, Arthur Adey, says the company has branched into the pump market in Africa, predominantly providing pumps for irrigation. “In countries like Zambia, as in many countries, they are trying to grow agriculture. Irrigation plays a big part in this initiative,” he comments.

Adey Engineering, which manufacturers pumps for distribution companies in Zambia, has developed its own version of the treadle pump. “The pumps are designed for Africa. They are for simple use. The pump has two treadles and two pistons and is a really basic water pump that makes irrigation in Africa easier. The beauty of the pump is that it is mobile, making it particularly appropriate for rural areas,” he says.

The company has also begun negotiations with an international distribution company to supply the treadle pump for use in micro engineering initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Considering the need for the treadle pump in Africa, Adey hopes to sell his pumps in other developing countries, such as Uganda and Malawi, and possibly to United Nations refugee camps where, he feels, they will greatly improve the lifestyle and small-scale farming of inhabitants.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (UNFAO) reports that the man-powered treadle pump is an increasingly coveted piece of equipment in rural Africa.

Engineering News