PROJECT CHALLENGES
All turnkey irrigation projects bring about their own challenges. A turnkey project during the Covid-19 pandemic, even more so. Not only is the Panda farm not accessible by road from our factory, which posed shipping and site establishment challenges in itself, but the project faced several logistical obstacles due to the circumstances of a global pandemic.
The Panda project consisted of two phases. All equipment, components and material needed for the first phase were packed into 17 fourty-foot containers and shipped to site. The second phase involved another 34 of these containers. Amidst the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the first consignment of 11 containers was held up at customs, only to arrive at site 12 months after departure. Because of these shipping challenges, the two phases confluenced into a single installation.
Moreover, the electricity for this project is supplied by generators, which significantly increases the operational cost when compared to a normal grid supply. The shipping of the material, not to mention high electricity costs, all added to project expense and had to be taken into account during project design.
THE AGRICO SOLUTION
The team emphasised the importance of an energy-efficient design to improve the ratio of capital to operating expenses. The design of the irrigation system was done in such a way that the lengths of different pipe diameters (160 mm – 500 mm) were balanced, to allow for nesting and optimal use of shipping containers. More than 32 km of PVC pipes were shipped for this project.
During the first phase, an abstraction canal was trenched from the Panda river to allow for an abstraction pump station situated away from the banks of the river. This pump station transfers water to a distribution pump station, where two zinc balancing reservoirs were built. Reservoir levels are automatically balanced with Agrico Web Control. From here, the water is pumped to the first group of centre pivots.
The second phase involves the installation of a bulk water transfer pump station at a large earth wall reservoir. This pump station will transfer water via a 3 km dual pipeline to the zinc reservoirs at the distribution pump station constructed earlier, where reservoir levels are again automated with Agrico Web Control. From this distribution pump station, all second phase pivots are supplied with water.
PROJECT GALLERY
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GROWING LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH IRRIGATION
Agrico is your partner in irrigation.
Our success is tied to yours. We provide you with a specialised irrigation solution that meets your farming needs and goals, supporting you on your way to success.
At Agrico, we are devoted to understanding your needs and providing the best technical solutions with ongoing support. That is why we take the time to get to know you, your farm and resources, challenges and opportunities.
With a large team of agricultural, engineering and industrial specialists, we have the in-house expertise to help you make the best decision for your crops.