International Development Enterprises

[http://www.ideorg.org IDE (International Development Enterprises)] , founded in 1981, by Paul Polak, is an international not-for-profit corporation devoted to the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of affordable, scalable micro-irrigation and other low-cost water recovery systems throughout the developing world. IDE facilitates local manufacture and distribution of these products through local supply chains that sell to farmers at an affordable price which they can repay in one growing season. This strategy allows farmers to grow higher value and surplus crops, and in turn links them to high-value crop markets where they can realize profits from their higher yields.

IDE has funding affiliates in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The head office is located in Denver, CO.

IDE was a recipient of a US$27 million grant for micro-irrigation projects in India from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2008. [B&MGF Announces $306 Million Commitment to Agricultural Development http://www.gatesfoundation.org/GlobalDevelopment/Announcements/Announce-070125.htm]

Approach

IDE utilizes what they call a Poverty Reduction Through Irrigation and Smallholder Markets (PRISM) strategy. [http://www.ideorg.org/main/pdfs/PRISM_guidelines.pdf] The key principle is making markets work for smallholder farmers who cultivate less than two hectares of land. PRISM envisions the rural poor as potential entrepreneurs and customers, not charity recipients. IDE relies on local manufacturing, retailing, and maintenance resources making affordable technologies available to farmers.

Technology

Treadle Pumps

The treadle pump is a foot-powered water pump developed in the 1970s by Norwegian engineer Gunnar Barnes. [Polak, Paul. Scientific American. September 2005. Page 84] . In the 1980s, IDE initiated a campaign to market the pumps to smallholder farmers. Over the course of 12 years, 1.5 million treadle pumps were purchased, increasing the purshaser's income by $150 million annually. The cost of the treadle pump scheme was $12 million, compared with conventional dam and canal systems which would have cost $1.5 billion to irrigate a similar area. [Polak, Paul. Scientific American. September 2005. Page 88] The treadle pump programme in India won an Ashden Award in 2006 [ [http://www.ashdenawards.org/winners/idei IDE treadle pump wins Ashden Award] ] .

Drip Irrigation

Although drip irrigation is not a new technology, IDE has made major strides in breaking down the costs of irrigation systems to make them affordable to low-income farmers. Micro-irrigation has enormous potential, as it uses 30%-60% less water than traditional methods, reduces salinization, delivers water directly to the roots of crops, and increases yields by 5%-50%. [2006 UNDP Human Development Report, page 197. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr06-complete.pdf]

Ceramic Filters

IDE has also promoted the use of ceramic water purifiers (CWP) in countries like Cambodia. CWPs can significantly improve household water quality (up to 99.99% reduction in E. coli) and can be manufactured locally and sold for under US$10. [Water and Sanitation Program. "Use of Ceramic Water Filters in Cambodia." August 2007. http://www.wsp.org/filez/pubs/926200724252_eap_cambodia_filter.pdf]

Footnotes

External links

* [http://www.ideorg.org IDE (International Development Enterprises)]
* [http://www.ide-canada.org International Development Enterprises Canada (IDE Canada)]
* [http://www.ide-uk.org International Development Enterprises UK (IDE UK)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/ideorg YouTube videos]
* [http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/ Exhibit at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum that incorporates IDE's technologies]
* Prahalad, C.K. [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0131877291 "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits"] .
* Polak, Paul - 2008 [http://www.amazon.com/dp/1576754499 "Out of Poverty: What Works When Traditional Approaches Fail"] .