02/10/2026
Recognizing Women-Led Electromechanical Expertise for Sustainable Lift Irrigation
As a women-owned company with hands-on experience in solar lift irrigationโfrom system design, installation, testing and commissioning to operation, maintenance and after-sales services, it is deeply encouraging to see how much local expertise can contribute to the long-term sustainability of irrigation infrastructure.
However, women-led enterprises with proven technical experience still face significant challenges when competing for government projects. Past successful project performance, system sustainability after commissioning, technical specialization, and demonstrated after-sales capability are often not given sufficient recognition, while complicated qualification protocols and procedures can make it difficult for specialized local firms to build upon their established track record.
In lift irrigation, civil infrastructure is important, but the electromechanical system is the heart of the project. Pumps, solar PV systems, controllers, VFDs, protection systems, hydraulic integration, commissioning, troubleshooting and long-term maintenance determine whether the system actually delivers water to farmers reliably. Civil works can often be undertaken by a broad range of contractors, but specialized electromechanical knowledge requires years of practical experience and continuous technical engagement.
More importantly, commissioning should not be considered the end of a projectโit should be the beginning of its sustainable operation. Local technical teams are positioned to provide timely maintenance, troubleshooting, spare-parts support and user training. Regional expertise can therefore play a much greater role in ensuring that irrigation systems remain functional and productive over the long term, rather than relying heavily on third-party interventions from outside the region.
The WERELIS project under ICIMOD has brought tremendous hope and motivation in this regard. Through hands-on mentoring and practical exposure to pilot installation, the project has helped strengthen technical capacity, build confidence, and demonstrate what women-led enterprises can achieve in the renewable-energy and irrigation sector. The practical experience gained through the pilot installation has also strengthened our portfolio and supported our application for a construction license.
What we need now is a system that recognizes capability, not simply paperwork; performance, not only conventional contracting history; and sustainability, not merely project completion.
For women entrepreneurs and local electromechanical specialists, recognition of proven technical performance, past project sustainability, after-sales service capacity and regional expertise would create a more inclusive and competitive environment.
Women should not only be beneficiaries of renewable-energy projectsโwe can be the technical leaders who design, install, operate, maintain and sustain them.
The future of resilient irrigation lies not only in building infrastructure, but in building local capacity that can keep that infrastructure working for farmers for years to come ICIMOD
