Drip irrigation was first used in Israel for agriculture
over recent years, farmers have come to recognise the advantages of drip irrigation, a type of micro-irrigation (sprinklers, perforated earthenware pipes and mulching). The method which was first used by Israel, is mainly introduced to utilise water efficiently in irrigation. In drip irrigation, water is constantly supplied at the root zone of crops through a pipe network with the help of emitters. Unlike flood irrigation, drip irrigation can be efficiently operated in all areas -- undulating terrain's, rolling topography, hilly areas, shallow soils and areas which have saline water.
The existing use of water in the surface or flood irrigation systems is very low -- 30 to 40 per cent -- due to reasons like large seepage, evaporation and distribution losses. In drip irrigation, because the water is supplied at the root zone of the crops, conveyance and distribution losses of water can be minimised substantially. According to estimates of the National Committee on the use of Plastics in Agriculture ( ncpa), water saving under drip irrigation can be up to 100 per cent compared to flood or conventional methods. For instance, water saving is relatively more in narrow spaced crops like sugarcane, cotton, cabbage, and radish, compared to wide spaced crops like banana, coconut and grapes.
Drip irrigation is highly capital intensive. As a result, the farmers are a hesitant to practice it. But according to A Narayanmoorhty, a research associate at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, the cost arguments do not stand when compared to benefits. He says there are other reasons for practising drip irrigation, besides water saving and yield increase. The availability of surface water for irrigation has been constantly declining due to the commercialisation of agriculture. Further exploitation of surface water by constructing new dams and reservoirs, will adversely effect the environment, says Narayanmoorthy.
The practice of drip irrigation in India has increased from a merge 1,500 hectares (ha) in 1985 to over 70,000 ha in 1992. State-wise data of drip irrigation shows that drip irrigation was most popular in Maharashtra followed by Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, Mumbai, the crop pattern data of 1990-91, about 3.7 million ha of land in India is under sugarcane cultivation and most of this land is cultivated by using flood methods of irrigation. If drip irrigation is practised on these areas, not only the productivity of sugarcane will go up but the practice will also help conserve water.
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