Enabling affordable access to irrigation for sustainable rural communities /
Water is critical to secure food and livelihood for more than 80% of the population in developing countries. However, food production and thereby economic development are threatened by a lack of access to irrigation, even in areas with natural water resources nearby. aQysta provides affordable access to irrigation for small-scale farms in rural communities, through its award-winning hydro-powered pumps. Using the energy of flowing water, aQysta’s pumps continuously lift water from rivers and canals without the use of electricity or fossil fuels, offering an emissions-free solution at near-zero operating costs and almost no maintenance. aQysta’s solution not only allows farmers to reduce their water consumption but also avoids carbon emissions (from diesel pumps), which would further increase water shortages on a global scale. Until mid-2019, the enterprise has sold more than 250 pumps, serving 5,000+ farmers. aQysta envisions its products ultimately contributing to improved incomes and food production of hundreds of thousands of farmers. aQysta, based in the Netherlands, is a spin-off from Delft University and the winner of various innovation awards. The company successfully raised growth capital with support from FASE in Q1 2021 to further scale the solution in Nepal/India, Malawi and Colombia.