Exposure visit for women gewog leaders to the pilot solar lift irrigation site at Temakha, Chhubu Gewog, Punakha

Date: 09 June and 11 June 2026

Organisers: Department of Energy, Royal Government of Bhutan; International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD); Bhutan Ecological Society; International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

About the event

The exposure visit to the pilot solar-powered lift irrigation site at Temakha, Chhubu Gewog, Punakha, is being organised under the Women’s Empowerment through Renewable Energy-Powered Lift Irrigation Systems in Bhutan (WERELIS–Bhutan) project. The visit aims to provide women gewog leaders with practical learning opportunities in applying renewable energy technologies for agriculture and irrigation management.

The programme will create a platform for peer-to-peer interaction, knowledge exchange, and field-based learning by showcasing the successful implementation of a solar lift irrigation system that has improved water access, agricultural productivity, and community participation, particularly among women.

Through direct observation and interaction with beneficiaries and technical teams, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the operational, social, and economic benefits of renewable energy-powered irrigation systems and explore opportunities for replication within their own communities, and also on the productive use of renewable energy (PURE) platform.

Objectives of the exposure visit

The exposure visit aims to:

• Promote sustainable, climate-resilient, and gender-responsive approaches to irrigation and food security;
• Provide firsthand exposure to planning, design, operation, and maintenance of solar-powered lift irrigation systems;
• Share experiences, challenges, lessons learned, and best practices from the pilot site;
• Strengthen the leadership, participation, and decision-making capacity of women in water management and community development initiatives; and
• Enhance awareness among local women leaders on the role of renewable energy in supporting rural livelihoods and agricultural transformation.

Expected outcomes

The exposure visit is expected to:

• Enhance participants’ understanding of solar-powered lift irrigation systems and their benefits;
• Increase confidence and motivation among women leaders and farmers to support similar initiatives in their communities;
• Facilitate exchange of experiences and practical learning between pilot and non-pilot communities;
• Encourage local-level planning and replication of renewable energy-powered irrigation systems in suitable areas.

Background

Agriculture remains one of the most important sectors in Bhutan, supporting the livelihoods of a large proportion of the rural population. Women continue to play a central role in agricultural production and household food security. However, the sector faces growing challenges due to climate variability, water shortages, labour constraints, and limited irrigation infrastructure.

Despite the importance of irrigation for improving agricultural productivity, only a small portion of cultivable land in Bhutan has access to reliable irrigation systems. In many rural areas, particularly in mountainous terrains, water sources are located below agricultural fields, making irrigation technically difficult and labour-intensive.

Bhutan’s strong commitment to environmental conservation and renewable energy development presents significant opportunities to adopt sustainable and decentralised solutions such as solar-powered lift irrigation systems. These systems not only improve water accessibility for farming but also contribute to climate resilience, clean energy transition, and rural socio-economic development.

Recognising the need for inclusive and gender-responsive interventions, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), in collaboration with the Department of Energy, Royal Government of Bhutan is implementing the WERELIS–Bhutan project. This project is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, with the Bhutan Ecological Society (BES) serving as the field-implementing partner.

The WERELIS project provides decision-makers with tools to deploy these systems at scale, build technical capacity to integrate gender considerations into the approach, and develop a potential business model for broader adoption of the technology. The project focuses on enhancing access to irrigation water through renewable energy-powered lift irrigation systems while ensuring meaningful participation and empowerment of women’s groups.

In addition to improving irrigation access, the project seeks to empower women as leaders and agents of change by enhancing their technical knowledge, leadership skills, and participation in local decision-making processes related to energy, water, and agriculture.

Program list (Same for 9th and 11th June 2026)