Retired Professor Revolutionizes Irrigation with Innovative 'Kachalka' System in Chitwan

Chitwan. While volumes of agricultural research remain shelved in libraries across Nepal, a retired professor has taken his own invention directly to the fields.

The 'Kachalka' (Discrete Irrigation System) developed by Prof. Dr. Bhagwan Das Manandhar, who taught at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science for 23 years, has become a topic of discussion in Bharatpur-16, Bijaynagar, Chitwan. Adapting a technology he first encountered during his PhD studies in Russia in 1993, Manandhar has successfully demonstrated its effectiveness by cultivating lemon on his own four-kattha plot of land.

Typically, traditional irrigation methods lead to significant water wastage and inconsistent hydration for plants. However, the Kachalka system distributes water precisely as needed. Using small containers that tilt back and forth like a seesaw, the system ensures water only flows to the next container once the previous one is full, preventing waste.

Although it may appear to be simple surface irrigation, Manandhar claims the technology achieves 93 percent irrigation efficiency and 95 percent uniformity in water distribution.

After teaching the theory for years without seeing it implemented, Manandhar left his academic career to become a farmer himself. Already successfully tested in Mantova, Italy, this technology is touted as more affordable and durable than drip or sprinkler irrigation.

Because it is easy for farmers to maintain and allows for water control based on soil structure, it is considered a backbone for commercial agriculture. Manandhar has now launched a campaign to bring this technology to farmers' doorsteps through his own investment and labor, with the goal of reducing both labor and costs in irrigation.