This paper reports on the preliminary field testing of small-scale solar-powered irrigation pumps in Pakistan, and seeks to establish how far the cost of these devices would need to fall before they could be expected to become attractive to farmers presently using other forms of irrigation. The data available at present are insufficient to support firm conclusions, but it does appear that relatively modest reductions in price might be sufficient to persuade Persian wheel users to adopt the new technology. In the case of deep tubewells, rather larger reductions seem likely to be required. The question of who would be able to enjoy access to solar pumps is also explored. Here it appears that, whilst more landholders will be able to benefit than is the case with other modern forms of irrigation, those with less than 2 ha remain likely to be excluded.