iDE Rope Pump

Target Countries

Ethiopia

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$85.86

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household, Community

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

iDE manufactures the pumps to be distributed by various businesses serving farmers.iDE implements their own product as part of the Rural Prosperity Initiative II (RPI-II) program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Competitive Landscape

Direct competitors include Afridev Hand Pump, India Mark II Handpump, Vergnet-Hydro 60-2000 Pump, and Elephant Pump.

Manufacturing/Building Method

Individually crafted by local craftsmen/producers

Intellectural Property Type

Open Source

User Provision Model

User can contact iDE\'s micro-finance office located in Addis Ababa. Financing options: subsidy, access to micro-finance, traditional savings schemes, and raising funds from within family assets.

Distributions to Date Status

243 (as of 2011)

Design Specifications

The iDE Rope Pump is a hand-operated option for accessing water when the water table depth is out of reach of suction pumps, up to 35 m. Washers of locally-available material are tied some distance apart along a long loop of rope, which is threaded down into a well and back up through a pipe. As the rope leaves the pipe it passes over a wheel and back down into the well. As the wheel is turned, the washers bring water up in a continuous stream through the pipe.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Most issues are possible to resolve by basic troubleshooting. Technician support may be needed if the issue is complex, however, a trained village mechanic should be able to resolve problems. All of the methods in testing/building a new rope pump are listed in the training manual assistance that iDE provides to a producer/manufacturer.

Replacement Components

Rope and washers need periodic replacement, which can be available locally.

Lifecycle

Lifespan information unavailable. Individual dealers and organizations implementing the pumps may have their own warranty.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Daily pumping to irrigate 200 m² (minutes): 70 – 100, 90 – 130, 140 – 200, 180 – 270. For depth to water up to 18 m, the rope pump can be used for irrigating small plots in addition to other domestic water uses For depth to water beyond 18 m, the rope pump is best suited for domestic use. Irrigation would be limited to dense agriculture like seedling nurseries 

Vetted Performance Status

Unknown

Safety

Water quality is still of concern, because of a lack of data for all rope pumps. See report Section 3.6IDE does not recommend depths over 22 m because the Rope Pump cannot then be effective lifting water for productive purpose, which is their main objective. However yields are still adequate for domestic purposes.

Complementary Technical Systems

Water output is not pressurized: water will need to be transported to the field, or be elevated to use drip or sprinkle irrigation.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Evaluation methods

Unknown

Other Information

This working paper developed by the Research-inspired Policy and Practice Learning in Ethiopia and the Nile region (RiPPLE) Research Programme Consortium provides a comprehensive analysis of the scaling efforts for rope pumps including IDE\'s. The paper notes that the lack of demand for pumps in most areas, and the lack of capacity to respond to demand where it has developed are slowing down any efforts to go to scale. If rope pumps are to play a significant part in Universal Access Plan (UAP) coverage it will need a concerted effort by the Bureau of Water Resources to have them recognized as a valuable technology by both sector professionals and households, and consequently included in their budgets. Technical guidelines are well-developed, but those for introducing and marketing rope pumps are not. The product is also sold in India.