Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems
As part of the previous CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology, a solar-powered groundwater irrigation system was introduced in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR. This system is managed by local farmers and was designed to help small-scale farmers overcome water shortages, improve crop productivity, and build resi...
| Autores principales: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Informe técnico |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
International Water Management Institute
2025
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177877 |
| _version_ | 1855518146601943040 |
|---|---|
| author | Douangsavanh, Somphasith Pavelic, Paul Kotchofa, Pacem Dubois, Mark |
| author_browse | Douangsavanh, Somphasith Dubois, Mark Kotchofa, Pacem Pavelic, Paul |
| author_facet | Douangsavanh, Somphasith Pavelic, Paul Kotchofa, Pacem Dubois, Mark |
| author_sort | Douangsavanh, Somphasith |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | As part of the previous CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology, a solar-powered groundwater irrigation system was introduced in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR. This system is managed by local farmers and was designed to help small-scale farmers overcome water shortages, improve crop productivity, and build resilience to climate change. To evaluate its effectiveness, this study reviews the system’s performance after one year of operation and a full crop cycle, including broader benefits such as environmental sustainability and a basic financial cost-benefit analysis. At this stage, the report presents interim results and does not focus heavily on detailed economic analysis in monetary terms, as the system is still in its early phase. Instead, it highlights qualitative benefits, including non-financial advantages related to environmental sustainability and other positive impacts. The report also identifies opportunities for future interventions that could work together with this system at larger landscape and basin levels, supporting the idea of “multifunctional landscapes” through integrated approaches. Overall, the solar irrigation system has shown promising results: environmentally, it helped farmers manage climate variability and grow crops during dry periods; socially, it improved water access for households and farming, reduced the burden on women and children, and strengthened community cooperation; economically and nutritionally, it lowered costs by removing electricity expenses and enabled year-round vegetable farming, which improved food security and livelihoods. In terms of sustainable water management, the creation of water user groups, along with rules, monitoring tools, and hydrological studies, supported better protection of wetlands and the wider landscape. These efforts improved understanding of water flow and provided useful insights for future wetland water use regulations, while the monitoring system will help prevent long-term negative impacts from groundwater extraction. |
| format | Informe técnico |
| id | CGSpace177877 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | International Water Management Institute |
| publisherStr | International Water Management Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1778772025-11-14T02:03:25Z Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems Douangsavanh, Somphasith Pavelic, Paul Kotchofa, Pacem Dubois, Mark solar powered irrigation systems groundwater irrigation cost benefit analysis farmers pilot projects As part of the previous CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology, a solar-powered groundwater irrigation system was introduced in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR. This system is managed by local farmers and was designed to help small-scale farmers overcome water shortages, improve crop productivity, and build resilience to climate change. To evaluate its effectiveness, this study reviews the system’s performance after one year of operation and a full crop cycle, including broader benefits such as environmental sustainability and a basic financial cost-benefit analysis. At this stage, the report presents interim results and does not focus heavily on detailed economic analysis in monetary terms, as the system is still in its early phase. Instead, it highlights qualitative benefits, including non-financial advantages related to environmental sustainability and other positive impacts. The report also identifies opportunities for future interventions that could work together with this system at larger landscape and basin levels, supporting the idea of “multifunctional landscapes” through integrated approaches. Overall, the solar irrigation system has shown promising results: environmentally, it helped farmers manage climate variability and grow crops during dry periods; socially, it improved water access for households and farming, reduced the burden on women and children, and strengthened community cooperation; economically and nutritionally, it lowered costs by removing electricity expenses and enabled year-round vegetable farming, which improved food security and livelihoods. In terms of sustainable water management, the creation of water user groups, along with rules, monitoring tools, and hydrological studies, supported better protection of wetlands and the wider landscape. These efforts improved understanding of water flow and provided useful insights for future wetland water use regulations, while the monitoring system will help prevent long-term negative impacts from groundwater extraction. 2025-11-13 2025-11-13T14:42:48Z 2025-11-13T14:42:48Z Report https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177877 en Open Access application/pdf International Water Management Institute CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Program Douangsavanh, S.; Pavelic, P.; Kotchofa, P.; Dubois, M. 2025. Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Program. 32p. |
| spellingShingle | solar powered irrigation systems groundwater irrigation cost benefit analysis farmers pilot projects Douangsavanh, Somphasith Pavelic, Paul Kotchofa, Pacem Dubois, Mark Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title | Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title_full | Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title_fullStr | Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title_short | Performance and cost-benefit evaluation of farmer-managed solar-powered groundwater irrigation in Attapeu Province, Lao PDR: interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| title_sort | performance and cost benefit evaluation of farmer managed solar powered groundwater irrigation in attapeu province lao pdr interim results from the first year of operation of four pilot systems |
| topic | solar powered irrigation systems groundwater irrigation cost benefit analysis farmers pilot projects |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177877 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT douangsavanhsomphasith performanceandcostbenefitevaluationoffarmermanagedsolarpoweredgroundwaterirrigationinattapeuprovincelaopdrinterimresultsfromthefirstyearofoperationoffourpilotsystems AT pavelicpaul performanceandcostbenefitevaluationoffarmermanagedsolarpoweredgroundwaterirrigationinattapeuprovincelaopdrinterimresultsfromthefirstyearofoperationoffourpilotsystems AT kotchofapacem performanceandcostbenefitevaluationoffarmermanagedsolarpoweredgroundwaterirrigationinattapeuprovincelaopdrinterimresultsfromthefirstyearofoperationoffourpilotsystems AT duboismark performanceandcostbenefitevaluationoffarmermanagedsolarpoweredgroundwaterirrigationinattapeuprovincelaopdrinterimresultsfromthefirstyearofoperationoffourpilotsystems |