Dabane has been encouraged to have a vibrant research and development team since the beginning of its sand-abstraction programme in 1992. This was born out of a need to ensure the pumps are affordable and of an acceptable standard. Great strides have been made in this area and Dabane’s Rowa and Joma pumps are slowly gaining widespread acceptance as an alternative water abstraction technology. The key to the pump’s success has been its simplicity in design and its cost effectiveness. In spite of these achievements there is still a need to ensure that the pump is as efficient as can be, and is ergonomically suited for the strenuous work of irrigating small scale irrigation schemes and livestock.