Long periods of drought meant that the rice farmers in the village of Talawi on Sumatra could only harvest once a year. Since a solar-powered Wilo pump transports water from the nearby Batang Lunto river to the rice fields, farmers now harvest their fields two to three times as often. The project has significantly contributed to food security in the region. Like a lifeline, the Batang Lunto runs through the village of Talawi, which is part of the city of Sawahlunto in western Sumatra. Most of the village's approximately 20,000 inhabitants work in agriculture. Their work not only feeds their families, but is also crucial for the food supply in the region. Several farmers cultivate the 20-hectare area high above the riverbed, sharing the land to grow rice, the most important staple food in Southeast Asia.

For growing the crop, farmers need a lot of water. This is not a problem during the rainy season when precipitation floods the fields and provides the rice plants with rainwater. However, during the dry periods, seedlings die if farmers do not irrigate their fields. As a result, they could harvest their fields at best once a year. To secure or even increase yields, a new infrastructure was needed to transport river water up the hill to the rice fields.

To help address this need, PT Bukit Asam (PTBA) initiated a CSR program to support the development of a solar-powered irrigation system for the local farming community. As part of the project, Wilo Indonesia delivered the pumping solution, integrating reliable pumping technology with solar energy to provide an efficient and sustainable source of water for agricultural irrigation. The collaboration highlights how innovative technology and community-focused initiatives can help strengthen local agriculture and sustainable water access.

As a result, a new pumping station was built in Talawi. A Wilo-Sub TWI 6 pump draws river water from a well and pumps it through a one-kilometer-long water pipeline. Up to 210 cubic meters of water thus reach the rice fields daily. The multi-stage submersible motor pump is powered by solar energy. The rice farmers of Talawi therefore make a virtue out of necessity: especially during the dry periods with little rain, there are more than enough hours of sunshine to operate the pumping station.

Operating the pump with renewable energy is not only more environmentally friendly but also more cost-effective. The solar system does not incur ongoing electricity costs - unlike gasoline or diesel engines, which would reduce the revenue from rice harvests. The increased harvest yields since the construction of the pump station show that the investment has paid off. Since the construction of the pump station, Talawi's farmers have been able to harvest their fields two or even three times a year. Instead of 80 to 100 tons, they now harvest 200 to 350 tons of rice per year. Thus, the new solar pump station contributed to easing the critical food supply situation on site sustainably and safely.

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