Irrigation technologies, Use of Solar Pumps and Gendered Impacts

The CGIAR Nexus Gains initiative supported a survey on irrigation solar pumps in Uganda to examine how solar pump ownership impacts the livelihoods of women and men in rural areas. This questionnaire was utilized to collect data from both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries of the World Bank solar pump subsidy project, implemented by the Ugandan Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Animal Industry.

The subsidy project required applicants to:

• Contribute 25% of the pump acquisition cost.
• Have access to a water source.
• Own arable land.

At the time of the survey (November–December 2024), the project had expanded to all four regions of Uganda (Central, Eastern, Western, and Northern), covering 66 of the country’s 122 districts.

The survey was conducted in all four regions, sampling eight districts (two per region). Due to budget constraints, the survey included a sample of 480 households, comprising 280 beneficiaries and 200 non-beneficiaries. In each household, both an adult female and an adult male were interviewed to capture gender-differentiated perspectives.

Questionnaire Protocol Modules:

1. Household Composition
2. Irrigation Use
3. Solar Pump and Non-Solar Pump Characteristics
4. Women Empowerment
5. Energy Insecurity
6. Water Insecurity
7. Food Insecurity
8. Nutrition and Dietary Diversity
9. Production and Input
10. Assets
11. Markets and Marketing
12. Access to Rural Services
13. Access to Pump Repair Technical Services

This comprehensive survey design aims to explore the multifaceted impacts of solar pump adoption on household livelihoods, with a particular focus on gendered outcomes.

Household- and Community-level Surveys