BD's farmers cut costs with solar irrigation, save 7.5m litres of diesel

Amid global energy market volatility triggered by the Iran-Israel-US tensions and concerns over fuel supply Bangladesh’s agriculture sector is feeling the strain particularly during the irrigation season, when diesel-dependent farmers face rising costs and uncertainty.

Against this backdrop, solar-powered irrigation is emerging as a beacon of hope across the Rangpur division.

Officials say around 5.9 megawatts of electricity is being generated daily from solar irrigation systems in different parts of the region, helping save around 7.5 million litres of diesel in a single irrigation season.

Farmers say the shift has eased their worries about diesel shortages, price hikes and power outages, allowing them to irrigate fields on time and reduce production costs.

At a deep tube well run by the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) in Doani village of Goddimari union under Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat, operator Atiar Rahman said the solar-powered system is irrigating around 15 bighas of land where maize and vegetables are widely cultivated.

“Even if diesel is unavailable or prices rise, farmers no longer have to worry, as the system runs on solar power,” he said.

However, he pointed out a major untapped opportunity: the solar panels remain largely unused for most eight months of the year after the four-month irrigation season.

Introducing net metering to feed surplus electricity into the national grid during this period could benefit farmers, institutions and the government alike, he added.

On the ground, solar panels are seen directly powering pumps to irrigate fields—without diesel fumes, fuel shortages or power disruptions.

Sudhan Chandra Sen, a farmer from Madhupur village in Kaunia upazila, said, “We don’t have to worry about fuel anymore. Solar power gives us water, crops are better, and costs are lower.”

“Earlier, electricity supply was unreliable, and irrigation was often delayed. Now, with solar, water is available all the time,” he added.

Shafiqul Islam, president of the Lalmonirhat unit of the Teesta River Protection Movement, said such initiatives are crucial for boosting agricultural production, ensuring food security and modernising the sector.

“To improve the livelihoods of marginal farmers, solar irrigation projects should be expanded through both public and private initiatives,” he said.

Hossain Mohammad Altaf, executive engineer (construction) of BADC in Rangpur, said no new solar irrigation projects have been launched since 2022 though existing installations remain operational.

He said a total of 596 solar-powered irrigation units were active in eight districts of Rangpur division in the last irrigation season.

With an average production of 10 kilowatts per unit, total generation stood about 5.96 megawatts—enough to run 80,000 to 85,000 fans daily—while saving around 7.5 million litres of diesel over four months, he said.

Habibur Rahman Khan, supervising engineer ofRangpur circle of the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), said while no new projects have been added existing ones are functioning, and two net metering systems are already operational.

Northern Electricity Supply PLC (NESCO )Rangpur Chief Engineer (Operation) Mizanur Rahman said a faster transition from diesel-based to solar irrigation could save foreign currency and cut carbon emissions.

“For a climate-vulnerable country like Bangladesh, this can be a sustainable pathway for agriculture,” he said, adding that most solar irrigation systems fall under rural electrification areas, and net metering could be introduced with proper initiative from the authorities.

Farmers have called for launching new solar irrigation projects, rehabilitating old ones and enabling surplus electricity to be fed into the grid.

“If sunlight can grow crops in the fields, it can also help meet the country’s electricity needs,” they said.