Al Akbar Solar Group

Five male smallholder farmers aged 21 to 58 form the Al Akbar Solar Group in Kasur district. Their households include 13 children—5 enrolled in education and the remainder either infants or acquiring skills. There is a total of 20 dependents across their families.

Arif Ali, 36, is among the group members. His household consists of himself, his wife, two sons and one daughter. Two of the children attend school while others have not yet at reached school age. His wife takes care of domestic tasks. He cultivates roughly 4 acres where he plants wheat in winter months and rice during summer. He estimates his yearly farming profit at around £1,150.

Currently, the group irrigates using a tube well that runs on diesel and electricity. Escalating fuel prices make this approach costly and harmful to the environment. To solve this problem, the group has applied for financing to buy and set up a 7.5-kilowatt solar-powered tube well equipped with 12 solar panels. This installation will harness solar energy for irrigation purposes, cutting fuel expenses, removing the noise generated by diesel engines, and promoting eco-friendly farming practices. The group anticipates that the solar tube well will improve crop yields and profits by enabling irrigation whenever necessary. They also look forward to developing their expertise in utilising contemporary agricultural technology.