Water Pumping for Farms in Cameroon

Cameroon is a well-watered country, with annual rainfall around 1,604mm/year over an area of 47,544,200 ha (762.5 x 10^9 m3/year). Because of the concentration of its population in economic hubs, efficiently using this rainfall potential remains impossible. This rainwater helps increase river flow in valleys, which are generally at a lower elevation than our farms or parts of our farms.

Given the low irrigation potential (7.74% of irrigable plots, i.e. 22,450 ha), which leans more toward less efficient surface irrigation, there is a clear need to use more rational methods: water pumping to increase productivity and income for farmers.

Water is the primary limiting factor for agricultural production, as it is used for irrigating farmland and for handling farm produce after field harvesting.

TYPES OF PUMPS USED IN AGRICULTURE

A pump can be centrifugal or positive-displacement (volumetric).

Farmers commonly use centrifugal pumps because they're easy to operate and the water source is most often a river. However, using non-submersible positive-displacement pumps with manual operation (treadle pumps) can be more beneficial for them, since the energy cost is lower. It's important to note that the choice of pump type and its characteristics (flow rate, discharge head, power) are decisive and depend on factors specific to your farm and water source. Depending on where you are, the energy source can be solar (photovoltaic panel) or fossil fuel (petrol).

THE IMPORTANCE OF PUMPING FOR FARMERS

In short, it is very important for farmers to devote 50% of their investment to irrigation and water supply on their farms, and in return multiply their yield - and their income - by 8.

Livestock farmers have a strong need to store water in a reservoir for watering animals and cleaning the farm.