Lite Green by Sebrina Smith
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I recently read a story on PlanetGreen.com about UMass students that were bringing low cost solar and wind energy to developing nations. I was so intrigued that I had to write about it.

The Village Empowerment Peru Project, sponsored by the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UMass Lowell) is a low cost drip irrigation system powered by solar and wind energy that is currently being tested in Peru. It's designed to aid farmers and small agri- businesses.

It's so great to see students already making a difference in the lives of those who are in need. The program is supported annually by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) and the Lemelson Foundation, which together provide $1.5 million to fund this type of student and faculty programs.

Since the world's food security relies on finding affordable, improved, and effective means of irrigation for the small farmers in developing countries, the project strives to provide small farmers in developing countries with an affordable drip irrigation system that will encourage the sustainable use of water and energy. The water shortage in Peru leads to the common practice of using only a seasonal gravity fed water system that is not effective for year-round crop irrigation.

The solar powered pumps designed by UMass Lowell offer much lower maintenance than standard gas/diesel powered pumps and are clean and efficient. A furrow system which consists of digging a water trench to allow water to flow through crop rows in order to provide moisture to the soil is 40% less efficient than the solar powered pumps. A drip irrigation system would allow Peruvian farmers to harvest up to four times per year, instead of the one annual crop they can sustain through the natural water supply.