The article evaluates the efficiency, effectiveness, social, economic and environmental impacts of the drip irrigation system. The drip irrigation system has the potential to increase the agricultural productivity and also to reduce water usage required for irrigation. It is a system of pipes and tubing located under the soil. Water is passed through these pipes which end at near the roots of the plants. This makes the water loss minimal. Initial stage is designing the system and its installation follows it. The article states the advantages and disadvantages of the system and also cites evidence with regard to the social, economic and environmental aspects.
Poverty is one of the primary concerns the world faces in its road to development. Eradication of poverty tends to be the prime aims of governments worldwide. Lack of proper nutrition is a major cause contributing to poverty. Improving agricultural standards can help in producing more food and thus counter the lack of food factor. One way to improve agricultural standards is to develop the irrigation methods used. Irrigation is closely related to poverty. Irrigation benefits the poor through higher production, higher yields, low risk of crop failure and higher and year round farm and non-farm employment. Irrigation leads to high value market oriented agricultural production [1]. However, in developing countries like India, the agricultural sector is heavily dependent on the south-west monsoons. In view of the rising temperatures worldwide due to global warming and changes of weather patterns associated with it, dependence on rains is not always a possible solution. Failure of proper rains can cripple the agricultural sector which can lead to an overall rise in poverty. Thus...
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...p Irrigation Evaluating Returns,” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 35, no. 42, pp 3775-37780, Oct, 2000.
11. M.A. Engle, “Subsurface Drip Irrigation as a Method to Beneficially Use Coalbed Methane Produced Water: Initial Impacts to Groundwater, Soil Water, and Surface Water,” ,2009. © The Geological Society of America doi: 214-10
12. B. Hanson and D. May, “Effect of subsurface drip irrigation on processing tomato yield, water table depth, soil salinity, and profitability”, Agricultural Water Management, Vol. 68, no. 1, pp. 1-17, July, 2004.
13. F.R. Lamm and T.P. Trooien, “Subsurface drip irrigation for corn production: a review of 10 years of research in Kansas,” Irrigation Science, vol.22, no. 3-4, pp.195-200, Feb, 2004.
14. T.L. Thompson et al., “Subsurface Drip Irrigation and Fertigation of Broccoli,” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., vol. 66, pp 178-185, Jan, 2002.
Sheshadri, T. (2001, December 26). Student recognized for agricultural acumen. The San Diego Union Tribune, N1-4. Retrieved on March 20, 2002 from Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe (Newspapers) on the World Wide Web: http://www.lexisnexis.com/universe.htm.
Drip irrigation, xeriscape, desalination, water recycling, personal water conservation, and the change of household appliances are all techniques that would have a positive effect on California’s drought. Because of the constantly growing population, the demand for water is constantly growing. To make sure that this water crisis doesn’t become vital, Californian’s should think it is their duty to help improve the situation. These improvements can be made in farmers, landscapers, and the everyday citizen. Everyone should do their part in employing these techniques, whether they take the simple approach of shortened shower times or a costly approach, and re-design their outdoor spaces to be xeriscaped and use drip systems. California’s water is precious, and it is the duty of California Citizens implement solutions to bust the water drought.
As Jensen points out, farming and industry accounts for the vast majority of total water usage in the world (477). The increasingly scarce resource is a necessary ingredient when growing food. Technology continuously improves to make it easier for farmers to grow crops while using less water. Scientists at the University of Georgia utilize what they term “variable rate irrigation” to let farmers automate the current systems of irrigation to water only the crops that need it (Gies). This is an example of retrofitting current farms, but there is a new way of farming coming to cities that reuses practically all of its water and stakes claim much less acreage in the process. The future of agriculture belongs to vertical and urban farming. These types of farms reduce the use of water, chemicals (such as pesticides, herbicides and fungicides), soil and space (The Economist). These farms are so cutting edge that they are mostly in the experimental stages. Firms like Famgro farms are testing “stackable” farming systems that can scale with demand, even further reducing waste. Famgro’s stackable farms are ideal for cityscapes where land is at a premium; furthermore, reaping the added benefit of being in close proximity to the customers that they serve. Customers will enjoy high quality, fresh produce at only a slightly
Irrigation aids the leaching of chemicals used in the production of grapes into the environment. The shift towards drip irrigation has been positive for the environment. It has minimized the quantity of water used in irrigation thus minimizing chemical leaching.
One of the ways Yuma’s geography impacted irrigation were the dryness and heat of the climate. Since essential nutrients are added to the soils by farmers, the overflowing of water from the Colorado River (due to excessive heat and evaporation leading to precipitation) pose threats to the irrigation and proper farming of crops. This called for solutions, like the Yuma Project, to build dams and levees to limit overflow. Consequently, geography had an impact on irrigation- Yuma’s hot climate made more overflow and opened the eyes of the Bureau of Reclamation on irrigation issues leading to fixes for
In order for Scotts Bluff County to maintain these exceptional production rates, several different factors come into play for contributing to the successful outcome of the crop production in this area. One factor that plays an important role in the production is the amount of water resources that are available in Scotts Bluff County. If farmers are unable to get the quantity of water necessary to grow their crops, the crops will begin to suffer damage, resulting in a lower rate of crop production and profit. Therefore, in ...
Most of water consumed in China is not rationally used. The cause which intensifies the water shortage in China is water inefficient use. For instance, 65%-70% of Chinese water usage is spent on agricultural needs, but more than half of this amount evaporates percolates and loses (Roberts 2009). Besides, majority of another 20%-25% which is occupied by China’s industry is not recycled (Brown 2008a, 16; Roberts 2009). Obviously, improving water distribution technologies and management quality can be one of the options to reduce the water scarcity in China. There are many different methods of improving the water distribution efficiency. Firstly, irrigation technologies should be improved. Farmers in China may use drip and shrink irrigation methods instead of traditional “surface” ones such as furrow and flood irrigation. Drip irrigation method is used mostly in arid and semi-arid zones and it increases the efficiency of irrigation by transporting the water directly to the roots of irrigated plant. The emitters sprinkle the soil under the roots with water which is introduced to the plant by pipes, diminishing water evaporation, deep percolation and leak. In contrast, fur...
What is the difference between a'smart' and a'smart'? Hochman, Steven H. “Biography of Jimmy Carter.” Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum, March 13, 2014. http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/documents/jec/jecbio.phtml (accessed May 3, 2014).
The problem of water shortage is one of the major limiting factors in food production and agriculture development in the arid and semi arid regions. Reclaimed water is one of the most significant available water resources that shall be consumed in agriculture and urban landscape maintenance. In order to investigate the impact of water quality and its application method on olive trees this experiment was carried out during 2010-2012 in the semiarid central part of Iran on young olive trees. The trees were irrigated by a new subsurface-leaky irrigation (SLI) system and surface irrigation in line with irrigation with recycle and clean water for 24 months. The results revealed that SLI system could enhance trees growth, leaf area, Fv/Fm and photosynthesis by68, 26, 4 and 42% respectively, although it decreased leaves soluble sugars (47%). In addition, irrigating trees by SLI system using reclaimed water could increase N and Mg uptake 138 and 8% respectively. Plants irrigated with RW showed improved growth (42%) leaf area26% and photosynthesis 23.4% compared with CL water. Furthermore Mg, Na, K, P and N surprisingly increase 12, 59, 30, 7, and 92 % respectively in leaf tissue in application recycle water. In overall, this experiment showed that recycled water could be a favorable resource for olive trees irrigation and SLI irrigation system was more efficient in irrigation in this research.
Weir, Wilbert W., 1936, Soil Science : Its Principles and Practice Including Basic Processes for Managing Soils and Improving their Fertility: Chicago, J.B. Lippencott Company.
Above, is a quote from a man recovered from an article of writing back in the ancient Egyptian times. Irrigation is a form of re-routing water, to parts of land that the water is needed, in farming terms. For Example, there are two crops, one crop is getting all the water, and it’s flooding. With irrigation, the farmer will re-route the water towards the other crop, as well as sharing the water with the crop that was being flooded. So now, both crops are getting enough water and they are not flooding nor suffering from drought.
The greenhouse gases are those that absorb the Earths radiation and thus contribute to the greenhouse effect, but water is also a major absorber of energy. Where there is an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (as with CO2 due to the burning of fossil fuels) this results in an enhanced greenhouse effect - which is of concern as it could lead to climate change (i.e. global warming).
Sandra Postel, on the other hand, has a different opinion than Danielle’s. She proposed that “without increasing water productivity in irrigation, major food-producing regions will not have enough water to sustain crop production”.
An acre of corn will give off 15,000 litres (4,000 gallons) of water per day in evaporation.
Global warming is one of the main causes, which leads to the lack of water and drought. A drought-like condition exists in most of India’s part. Government of India states that 68% of the country is disposed to the drought, which (consequences are) leads to massive migration of people to more favorable places, famine, conflicts among inhabitants. India is known in the world as one of the biggest producers of water-intensive crops such as rice, sugarcane and wheat. According to a survey done by Grail Research, approximately 82% of total water is used for agricultural consumption and 90% of it is employed for irrigation of rice, wheat and sugarcane (Grail Research, LLC, 2009). There are several solutions which could lead to the decr...