Irrigation is the method of watering the plants. There are various types of irrigation based on the area on which the agriculture land located. Especially drip irrigation helps to conserve the water in large amount. Similarly various types of irrigation method is used to conserve they water mainly in the dry water mainly in the dry areas. Let’s see briefly on the types of irrigation.
Drip irrigation:
Sprinkler irrigation:
In this irrigation system devices are used to
irrigate the plants but devices will be placed in between the road of the
plants continuously maintaining the equal distance.
Importance
of Irrigation
1.
Compensating For when there is no Rainfall
Irrigation kicks in when there is
insufficient rainfall or when there is uncertainty as to when the rain will fall.
Without the rain or irrigation as the alternative, the crops are adversely
affected, which can lead to a food shortage or crop/plant failure.
2.
Increasing the Amount of Cultivatable or Agriculturally Productive Land
Some areas of the world are dry, naturally.
Irrigation has been responsible for turning such lands into cultivatable lands.
Today, about 18% of the world’s cropland is now irrigated. Irrigation is also
responsible for bringing the most out of fallow lands, which are traditionally
left idle after harvest, before the next cultivation season.
3.
Helps Meet Food Demands
The expansion of irrigated land has made
desert ecosystems, such as Jordan and Israel, adopt farming to boost food
demands without necessarily depending on rain. Such areas use groundwater from
wells and aquifers and in doing so, it enables them to meet the world’s demand
for food by producing food crops such as cereals, potatoes, and vegetables.
Furthermore, countries and regions that
practice top-level and large-scale irrigation, are best known for exporting
food, which brings an economic advantage to such a region or country.
4.
Increased Productivity
Irrigation, by default and in many instances,
is employed when rainfall is insufficient. However, it can be applied at any time,
even if there is sufficient rainfall to boost crop productivity.
According to a publication by Olayide,
Tetteh, and Popoola (2016) on climate-smart agriculture, crop productivity on
irrigated land is higher than in the un-irrigated areas, which primarily rely
on rainfall.
5.
Enables Multiple Cropping
In most tropical countries, the rainy seasons
are specific, making it impossible to grow multiple crops at the same time.
Moreover, their water requirements are different, and over-irrigation spoils
the crop production. Optimum irrigation makes it possible to grow more than one
crop at a time in most areas of a country.
6.
It is Effective
When crops or plants are watered irregularly
and with just a mere hosepipe, it is not consistent and they simply get just
one pass. This means hard-to-reach areas and those that do not experience
steady rainfall may not get sufficient water. A well-designed irrigation system
delivers even to hard-to-reach areas of the land by the use of efficient
irrigation systems such as drip irrigation.
7.
Defeating and Efficient Nature!
We cannot control when it will rain. If it
rains during the day, and it gets a bit warm, evaporation rates will be high,
meaning the crops and the soil will not consume enough water.
Irrigation systems can be set in such a way
that they sprinkle water early in the morning or at night when evaporation
levels are low. This, not only saves on the water used, but also maximizes the
moisture required by the crops, flowers, or even the soil itself.
8.
Contribution to Economic Growth
Irrigation ensures food production continues, regardless of the season or climatic condition. This means there are continuous income and employment, thereby reducing poverty. The substantial increase in income achieved through irrigation means the economy can continue to thrive. This is also achieved by the export of food to other regions or countries.
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