[[Image:Treadle_pump_icon.png|right]]
For wells down to 35 mThe treadle pump for irrigation was developed in the late 1970's in Bangladesh. After wide-scale promotion by IDE International Development Enterprise, rope pumps they are often five times cheaper now being produced in 300 local workshops and used by more sustainable than piston pumps. Evaluations show one million poor rural families that rope pumps on communal wells are being maintained by the users, if introduced properlyotherwise could not have afforded an irrigation pump. 90% of rope pumps remain operationalWith this technology, even after many yearsfamilies have increased their income. Because of its low cost, the Some farmers who started with this pedal pump is also popular for domestic use. A survey among 5,025 rural families in Nicaragua indicates that have now bought a rope motorized pump increases income, even if used for domestic purposes only. Families with a The treadle pump earn is cost effective; it cost US$ 20 in Bangladesh and generates US$ 220 100 or more per year more than families without a pump. In Nicaragua Together, these pumps add over US$ 100 million every year to the pumps GNP of Bangladesh. Production and sales are now sustainable without any external aid. The treadle pump is also being produced commercially by 20 workshops. Different models of Rope pumps were introduced promoted in Africawhere it is installed by organisations like Kickstart (former Approtec) and EW Enterprise Works. This introduction has not always been successful: in some projects over 80% Models of the pumps do NOT work! However, with treadle pump like the "right" models Moneymaker and the Soka-pump are now widely used for small-scale "rightspray" user training, upto 90% remain in operation in Africa, as the Victory model in Ghana and the Elephant model in Zimbabwe have provedirrigation.
[[Image:Rope_pump.PNG|thumb|right|150px|[[Rope pump | Rope pump ]], (Victory model) on a hand-dug of 20 meters deep well, made in a local workshop in northern Ghana ]]