Creating Markets With the Poor: Selling Treadle Pumps in India

Abstract

"With public sector funding stalled in many developing countries, much is expected from local private investment for generating the finances required to develop essential services, such as water supply and irrigation. This philosophy is known as the 'market creation approach', and involves creating viable business chains for affordable products and services for the poor. This paper reviews one attempt at market creation; selling treadle pumps in North Bengal, India. Treadle pumps are ergonomically superior manual irrigation pumps, which in principle can lift a family out of poverty. The paper analyses five seasons of promoting and setting up supply chains for the treadle pumps."