Assessment of Farmer’s Adaptability of a Pedal Pump

Manual pump now a day popular among small and marginal farmers of Bangladesh. Amid the manual pumps the farmers predominantly use treadle pumps. It was found from study that the present structural design, the operation of the pump is tedious and at the same time very ineffective, which needs necessary modifications. An improved version of treadle pump called pedal pump was designed and fabricated at Agricultural Engineering Division, Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI), Ishurdi, Pabna, which is by-cycle operated, comfortable to operate, capable of lifting surface and sub-surface water having discharge range from 60-100 litres per minute at different suction heads (up to 7 meters). Before going to large-scale production it was needed to know the response of the farmers towards use of pedal pump. The objective of the study was to assess the socio-economic profile of the pedal pump users and to determine the adaptability of the pedal pump by the farmers as perceived by them. For demonstration of pedal pump 12 demonstrated and 120 non-demonstrated farmers were selected at Pabna, Thakurgaon and Chuadanga district of Bangladesh. Demonstration farmers have smaller land holding (0.47 ha) and higher number of family size (8 Nos.) compared to non-demonstration farmers. Pedal pump has a potentiality to use as a small-scale irrigation device opined by 92% demonstration and 88% non-demonstration farmers. 67% demonstrated and 80% of non-demonstrated farmers expressed the price of pedal pump were satisfactory and 67% demonstrated and 64% non-demonstrated farmers expressed their willingness to buy pedal pump. Operation of the pedal pump, as perceived by the farmers is much easier and comfortable than treadle pump.