Taking a Step Ahead in Agricultural Sector with Drip Irrigation

As the globe changes and the need for water increases, there is a great need to change farming techniques to conserve water. And here is where dripping irrigation comes into play.

Dripping irrigation, also known as primitive drip irrigation, has been employed since ancient times. Modern drip irrigation systems have evolved since the 1860s, when Germany began their study and testing on subsurface irrigation utilising clay pipe to create a combination of drainage and irrigation systems.

In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in the enhancement of drip irrigation technology. It is a simple approach that gives water to plants through a more personalised channel of water pipe on the surface through channels rather than flooding the field fully. It is a form of 'Micro irrigation system' that helps farmers to conserve water, time, man-hours, and fertiliser quantities by directly dropping them to the roots of plants, either by releasing water and nutrients above or below the surface of the plants. The system accomplishes this by utilising a network of pipes, emitters, tubes, and valves to provide water directly to the plant without producing evaporation. The water transported through this process can be blended with fertilisers and other nutrients, saving a farmer a lot of time and effort when growing a crop.

Why Drip Irrigation System for Farmers?

The explanation is simple: in locations where water availability is limited, such as those impacted by drought, every drop of water matters. Another reason is that the return on investment is much higher than with other traditional irrigation methods because it is a simple and effective approach to use. Here are a few advantages:

• Increased water conservation, with less evaporation, runoff, and waste.
• Produces high and consistent quality yields across the board.
• Using all of the available land.
• Because this system operates under low pressure, it uses less energy.
• It results in effective fertiliser and crop protection with no leaching.
• It lowers reliance on weather, resulting in better stability and fewer risk.

Why is Drip Irrigation System Favoured the most by Plants?

Plants, like humans, prefer to receive their water and nutrients in a balanced manner. Nobody wants to eat a month's worth of food in a single day, and the same principle applies to plants. This technology feeds water and nutrients straight to the plant's root, often and in small quantities, ensuring the plant's ideal growing conditions.

This is why plants produce more when a dripping irrigation system is installed: - 

• There is an abundance of water and nutrients.
• There will be no more overdosing or underdosing of water and nutrients.
• There is no saturation and the soil is well aerated.
• Excess fertiliser application can produce salinity, which can be avoided.
• There will be no more wetness of the leaves, which can lead to fungal illnesses.

Why Drip Irrigation System is Needed?

In the near future, by 2050, there will be 10 billion people on our globe, and there will be 20% less arable land available to cultivate adequate food for them, as well as increased water requirements. This demonstrates why we require this type of technology to boost agricultural output and efficiency. As a result of this approach, farmers may generate more calories per hectare.

• Drought and climate change will have a lessening effect on food supply.
• Excessive fertiliser use can lead to groundwater contamination.
• It contributes to the well-being of rural areas by reducing poverty and migration to cities.

Final Thoughts:

Drip irrigation will become increasingly more crucial for our agricultural demands in the future. As with other scarce resources, such as water, this approach appears to be a reasonable alternative for conserving water. Drip irrigation is a reasonably basic technology that produces surprising effects when compared to older water-hungry irrigation systems such as tube well watering.