The hand pump is an instrument of primitive water pumping, connecting the piston to a mechanical linkage connected to a rod, usually in a borehole. The pump is used for irrigation and for general water supply.

The hand pump is a very olden day invention that has been used since ancient times. It was most often used as a way of getting water from hard-to-reach underground sources of water. This innovation has been key in pumping up the groundwater and inter-connected parts before mechanical pumps came into use, which is nowadays used for irrigation and mechanical pumping.