SOLAR ON WHEELS!

Harnessing Agriculture Production in Off-Grid Areas

Interview with Mr Steven Mungongi - Featuring Mungongi Agriculture Project

Interview by Chilombo (Olga) Priscila

- Economic Researcher/Statistician @ RDJ Consulting -

Driven by a profound passion for agriculture instilled by his grandmother, Mr Steven Mungongi embarked on an ambitious project in 2015 that would soon revolutionize the agricultural landscape in his community which is located about 500 metres from the Kavango River, in Musese village, Kavango West region of Namibia The Mungongi Agriculture Project, named after its founder, began as a heartfelt tribute to the days spent planting and harvesting tomatoes with his grandmother. Over the years, it has grown into a substantial horticultural venture, harnessing the power of modern technology and renewable energy. This project not only produces a wide array of crops such as cabbage, onions, tomatoes, watermelon, and carrots but also supports the local economy by supplying produce to retail shops, schools, and the community at large.

The cornerstone of the Mungongi Agriculture Project is its innovative mobile irrigation system, which employs solar energy to efficiently irrigate crops. Dritoven Engineering, a local solar photovoltaics system design and installation company was appointed as the service provider and partner for the design, procurement, and installation of the mobile solar-powered irrigation system. This system, composed of a trailer equipped with five solar panels and a powerful Grundfos pump, represents a significant advancement over traditional diesel-powered generators By utilizing the consistent flow of the Kavango River through water extraction permits, this mobile unit can pump up to 20000 liters of water per hour, ensuring a steady and sustainable water supply for irrigation

According to information from the Green Peoples Energy (GPE),

“the mobile irrigation system consists of solar panels integrated into a river pump mounted on a trailer When water needs to be pumped, the trailer with the pump is driven to the river There, the submersible pump is immersed in the water, which has a pumping capacity of 20 cubic metres per hour The pumped water then enters the water network, which irrigates the fields via drip and sprinkler systems and feeds an 80,000-litre elevated tank Once the pumping process is complete, the trailer is returned to the farm for safety reasons ”

The implementation of this technology, facilitated by a subsidy from GIZ, through its Green People’s Energy (GPE) Project, has markedly improved the project's productivity and environmental footprint. Therefore, join us in this interview, where Mr.Mungongi sheds light on his journey, the innovative mobile solar irrigation system he has developed, and the profound impact of his work on local communities and the broader Namibian agricultural landscape

To begin, kindly provide a brief bio inclusive of your education, professional background and experience in the field of solar irrigation and agriculture and explain what motivated you to focus in this area.

I decided to start this agriculture project back in 2015 because of the passion for agriculture that my grandmother planted in me from childhood. My grandma and I would plant tomatoes in the mahangu field since I was five years old and we would irrigate them and harvest them together, our home was never in a lack of fresh produce such as tomatoes, onion and carrots and that is when I developed the love for agriculture, she is the one who poured it into me and then took it upon myself to turn the passion into a commercial entity and that is when the Mungongi agriculture project was born.

1. PROJECT DETAILS

a) Can you give us a brief overview of the mobile solar irrigation and horticulture project you are heading?

The Mobile irrigation system is actually a trailer that has five solar panels mounted on it that produce a total of 3000 watts and it has a grundfos pump that is connected to a switch that works directly on and off and the pump is fixed onto a float that holds it whilst in the water so as to avoid the pump getting swept away by the water current upon being put into the water source. The trailer then pumps water at a rate of 20 000 liters per hour and this is because of the strong capacity of the grundfos pump. The project I’m doing is a horticulture project that produces products such as cabbage, onion, tomatoes, watermelon, carrots, pumpkin and other crop products and this we do by harnessing water from the ever-flowing Kavango river for irrigation We supply to retail shops and to AgroMarketing and Trade Agency (AMTA), a school hostel, kindergarten, church, and the community at large In recognition of my work and contribution, the traditional authority rewarded me with more land to the tune of 1480 hectares for the sole purpose of agriculture b)Brieflyexplainhowthemobilesolarirrigationsystemcame to being, and the role that the Green People’s Energy (GPE) Projectplayedinit.

The mobile system came into being after we realized the fact that using diesel generator pumps which costed N$800 per week and it did not pump sufficient water as needed – leading to inefficient production. After receiving a visit from GIZ-GPE Project team, which left them impressed by our work, they proposed supporting us with a subsidy of 50% payment to move from using generators to renewable energy that is solar energy. This led me to designing a mobile solar system that would be anti-theft as there is a high risk of losing the equipment if it was kept stationery in the river. Hence, we developed a trailer to keep it mobile so that it pumps from anywhere and is kept at home for safekeeping.

2. TECHNICAL ASPECTS

a) What are the main components and technologies used in your solar irrigation system and how do they differ from other solar and traditional irrigation systems in terms of reliability and efficiency?

The main technology used by my solar system is the fact that it is mobile and can be used to extract water from anywhere instead of the traditional solar systems that are placed stationery in the ground and are then vulnerable to theft and vandalism.

GPE further reports the notable benefits brought about opting for a mobile irrigation system forth is a griculture project as:

Flood protection: Unpredictable flooding of the Kavango River can threaten solar panels installed near the riverbank A mobile irrigation system allows the modules to be positioned further away to reduce the risk

Flexibility in water collection: The mobility of the system means that the water extraction point can be chosen flexibly depending on the season This allows the system to operate more efficiently and ensures optimum access to water b) Due to its dry conditions and erratic rainfall patterns, Namibia is no stranger to drought. What sustainable irrigation methods do you use to ensure that water is used sparingly?

Anti-theft: Due to increasing theft and vandalism of solar panels and pumps in the region, a mobile system was introduced. It can be easily moved and placed in a safer location to reduce the risk of theft and damage.

We have a total of 12 water tanks that are each 10 000 litres –making a total of 120 000 litres of water in our water reservoirs. This is more than adequate to be used for irrigation and also to supply the school and the community with water for a full two weeks. On the field we use both the sprinkler and the drip irrigation system which is very effective in the sense that I am able to keep the soil moisturized for a very long time This therefore ensures that the soil is fertile for smooth growth to take place

3. CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

a) What are the major challenges you have encountered in implementing your solar irrigation system, and what innovative solutions have you employed to overcome them?

The challenges that we have had to experience is the fact that the system is extremely powerful, and it pump so much water in surplus that when the weather is very hot, it has the potential to break the water pipes, and this is something we have no control over

4. COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION

a)In what ways has your project ensured that the community is engaged and what socio-economic and environmental benefits has this resulted in?

The community is involved in the sense that we train local members of the community to do their own back yard gardening projects, and this is part of our corporate social investment of giving back to the community In the same vein we supply free running water to the community and this in its raw form has been very instrumental in averting the issues of human wildlife conflict as locals from the village no longer have to walk long distances to and from the river to have access to clean fresh water Community members come to our project site and are given access to water at no cost This act has seen us received widespread recognition and applause from the entire region b) Can you share a memorable experience or success story from your work that has had a significant impact on you?

We have so many success stories to tell but the one that is the cream on the cake for us is the fact that we have had the then Honorable Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila visit our project After having seen the mobile solar irrigation system on NBC news, she took it upon herself to pay us a visit personally in order to familiarize herself with our operations but most importantly to come and see how this groundbreaking innovation solar system works, that had put us on the map!

5. FUTURE PROSPECTS

a) How do you foresee the role of solar irrigation evolving in thenextdecade,especiallyinoff-gridareasofNamibia?

The solar system will be the biggest source of power supply in the future across all spheres be it for personal use or for productive use The solar system comes in handy because of the fact that it has zero carbon footprint on the environment and the fact that it is cheaper to operate in the long run b)Whatareyourfutureplansforexpandingorimprovingyour project, and what advice would you give to other young professionalslookingtofollowinyourfootsteps?

Our immediate plans are to expand and to utilize the 1480 hectares of land that we have in order to scale up and go into mass potato production and maize then process the maize into maize meal on site and supply the SADC market, which we look to achieve in the next 2-3 years. My advice to young professionals is that they should work hard as there is no substitute for hard work in this world. They should be prepared to go the distance and take the heat if they ever want to realize their dreams because it is possible.

The Mungongi Agriculture Project exemplifies how sustainable practices and community engagement can drive agricultural success, positioning it as a flagship initiative in the Kavango West region and a model for future projects across Namibia.