Drip Irrigation needs further push

Drip irrigation is an efficient and economical way to water your yard and garden. Used commonly in drier areas of the country, drip irrigation is becoming more popular in the Northeast. Unlike other forms of irrigation, such as sprinklers that are only 65-75% efficient, drip irrigation 90% efficient at allowing plants to use the water applied. And, it reduces runoff and evaporation. Drip irrigation applies the water slowly at the plant root zone where it is needed most.

Drip irrigation has more commonly been used in commercial nursery and farm operations, however, homeowners are beginning to take advantage of its uses and benefits. As a homeowner, you can use drip irrigation in your vegetable and perennial gardens, and to water trees and shrubs.

Benefits of Drip Irrigation over Conventional Flood Method

Drip Irrigation is a different method for growing crops profitably while saving resources.

Less water and energy are required compared to the flood method.

Reduced time for irrigation per hectare due to the flood method’s high evaporation, conveyance & distribution losses.

Water delivery via a pipe/emitter system direct to the plant”s root zone prevents water waste.

Yield increase potential of 30-70% in comparison to the flood method.

Example:

An acre of sugarcane or banana crop needs only one hour for each turn of irrigation by the drip method.

Same crops require 10-15 hours to irrigate using the flood method, because of which the consumption of both power and water increases.

Need of the Hour

Considering the various benefits, the Centre has been promoting drip irrigation since 1990-91 by providing a 50-100 per cent subsidy on capital cost to farmers adopting it.

As a result, the area under drip has increased from just 70,589 hectares in 1991-92 to 63.21 lakh hectares in 2020-21.

Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, among other States, have announced various schemes with hefty subsidies to

popularise this irrigation system among the farmers.

The Task Force has estimated that 270 lakh hectares of cultivated land are suitable for drip irrigation.

There can be no disagreement that drip irrigation can be a solution to profitable farming and that too with less electricity and water.

Besides horticultural crops, more than 80 crops including cotton, groundnut, sugarcane, banana and tur can be cultivated through drip irrigation.

Central Groundwater Board data show that the number of blocks facing groundwater risk has increased from 1,645 in 2004 to 2,538 in 2020

due to over-exploitation.

Measures should be taken to gradually bring sugarcane cultivation entirely under drip with the support of sugarcane mills.

The government should also guarantee interest-free bank loans and immediate electricity connection for pumpsets to

those farmers who agree to cultivate only through drip irrigation.

There are reports that rapidly changing climate may cause changes in rainfall and increase water scarcity.