Agricultural Effects of the Drip Irrigation System

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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... ... middle of paper ... ...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.

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