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Challenge note 03
Energy costs and equipment downtime
Under the old model, diesel pumping and fuel-hungry machinery pushed up costs and caused maintenance delays.
Irrigation used to depend on diesel water pumps and fuel-inefficient machinery. That meant high operating costs and frequent maintenance delays, which held back commercial margins.
Our response is to invest in gravity-fed main canals, backed by solar and wind power plants and a reliable electric farm fleet.
Taking diesel out of the production chain does two things. It targets a cut of up to 60% in fuel costs, and it removes the biggest cause of unplanned equipment downtime.