The government in Jharkhand, India, are allowing local farmers to rent solar panels on wheels in order to improve their irrigation.

The custom-made 1,100 watt solar panels are mounted on trolleys so farmers can easily move them around their farms.

Footage filmed on January 15 shows the panels being wheeled out and in action as one powers a small motor to pump water.

Project director of Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth Bipin Bihari said: “150 units have already been given to farmers over the last month. This year we will be distributing 1,150 more units. These units are changing farming practices and helping farmers make more money.”

Each unit costs £1,000 to develop and can be rented by farmers for £0.40 an hour.

Many small farmers in Jharkhand, a largely tribal state in northern India, live in remote regions without good electricity.

So government officials working to improve farming practices came up with a novel plan to help these farmers tap groundwater for irrigation.

They designed custom-made 1,100 watt solar panels and mounted them on trolleys. Farmers can easily take these units to their farms and use them to power small 1 HP motors to pump the water out.

A video filmed by officials in East Singhbhum district shows them giving a demonstration to women farmers on how to use these units.

Project director of Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth (JOHAR), Bipin Bihari said: “150 units have already been given to farmers over the last month. This year we will be distributing 1,150 more units. These units are changing the farming practices and helping farmers make more money.”

Each of these units cost just a lakh rupees (1000 GBP) to develop. They have no fuel or maintenance costs and can be rented by farmers at Rs 40 (0.40 pound sterling) an hour.