Nepal is famed for the stunning scenery of the Himalayan mountains, but life in the villages of these mountains and foothills is tough. The difficult terrain limits road access and journeys often have to be made on foot. Most people living in the region are poor, small farmers who grow enough food for their own use as well as selling some produce for income.
In order to process the grain they grow, women and children from farming families often have to carry heavy loads long distances to the nearest water mill and wait hours whilst the grain is slowly ground into flour. For centuries, these farming communities have relied on traditional water mills to process their grain. There are around 25,000 of these mills in Nepal that use the power of running water to grind grain.
Using hydro-power to grind grain makes sense in a region where there are plenty of streams and access to basic energy supplies is limited. The traditional water mills are, however, extremely inefficient, producing just enough energy (less than 0.5kW) for the simple task of grinding the grain. As a result the mills are unable to satisfy local demand resulting in a rise in the number of diesel powered mills.
For the mill owners, operating the water mills is extremely hard work and they often have to work for 12-18 hours a day in order to make a living. Living and sleeping next to the mill also means the whole family is constantly breathing in flour dust, which is damaging to the health and well-being of the family.
There is clearly an urgent need to improve the efficiency of traditional water mills in Nepal mainly so that they can grind grain more efficiently and improve millers livelihoods and stem the rise of diesel mills, but also so that mills can be used for other services such as rice hulling or electricity generation.
Since 1989, The Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal (CRT/N) has been focusing its efforts on improving traditional water mills so that they work more efficiently, can operate for a longer period of the year, and also be used for other activities. In 2003 CRT/N launched the Improved Water Mill Programme, which, since its inception, has upgraded over 2,400 mills benefiting around 96,000 families. This has been done with the assistance of the Government of Nepal and the Netherlands Government.
Most of the upgrades, which involve replacing wooden parts with metal ones, simply increase grinding efficiency. Others, however, have been upgraded to do more such as generate electricity or use other mechanical equipment for rice hulling and oil expelling. This is done by replacing the traditional short shaft with a longer metal shaft and then attaching an induction generator and/or a rice huller or oil press to it.
Mill improvements have increased grinding capacity by more than 100%. Because the grain is ground more quickly and more can be supplied, water-millers have found that their income has increased by at least 25%
In the words of Aitram Tamang, a 70 year old miller from Tiagaun in Nuwakot district, "I used to be able to mill 15kg of grain a day: now I can get through 30kg in half the time. We don't have to run the mill during the night now. I used to have to replace the blades every four years, and often had to make little repairs every few days or so. Now nothing needs to be done! Life is more comfortable for us now."
For mills that have been upgraded with a long shaft to provide other services including generating electricity, mill owners have seen their income double. Villagers also benefit from the provision of cheap electricity. According to a mill-owner from Charangiphedi: "I'm supplying electricity to 12 of my neighbours. The grid is coming soon, but they've said they will still buy from me because it will be cheaper."
For mill-users, usually women and children, the increased efficiency has reduced the waiting time from about 3 - 4 hours to 1 - 2 hours, which frees up time for other productive activities. As a woman mill user from Bhumi Danda in Kavre district says: "Its good not having to wait so long for the flour. I didn't like being away from home for so long. The price is half what we had to pay at the diesel mill and it doesn't smell like it did there."
In regions with large number of improved mills, diesel mills have been forced to close down and new diesel mills are not being built. It is estimated that each improved mill could replace about half the capacity of a diesel mill and offset about 900 L/year of diesel, equivalent to 2.4 tonnes/year CO2.
Most mill-owners, now work shorter hours and have improved self-respect and social standing. A key success of the scheme has been the formation of several millers' associations whose aim is to improving their advocacy power as well as livelihoods, for instance through negotiating for quality services, marketing of products and water rights issues.
Currently more than 1,000 mills are upgraded each year and there is demand for upgrades in all the hill districts of Nepal. This technology could also prove useful for other countries in the Himalayas with traditional water mills such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Tibet.
Ashden Award money will be used to pilot a scheme which will involve developing a low cost means of generating electricity with a simple axial flux permanent magnet alternator using a short shaft water mill that charges batteries to be will be used for household lighting purposes.
