The Saajhi Stepping Pump received a 2014 Good Design award in the humanitarian category. It uses human weight and motion to move water and was designed to help farmers in rural areas to irrigate their land more efficiently.
“To be recognized by the international design community is a high honor and speaks greatly of the research and development capabilities of the entire Xylem team,” said Keith Teichmann, director of innovative networks and marketing.
The Saajhi pump is part of Xylem’s Essence of Life initiative, which works with citizens and public and private partners to understand the needs of, and develop solutions for, rural farmers in developing nations.
The Saajhi has already improved production for rural farmers, tripling crop yield over rain-fed fields and reducing labor by more than 25 percent over traditional furrow irrigation.