Importance of Drip Irrigation

India is now facing a water situation that is significantly worse than any that previous generations have had to face. All Indian water bodies within and near population centres are now grossly polluted with organic and hazardous pollutants. Interstate disputes over river waters are becoming increasingly intense and widespread. Not a single Indian city can provide clean water that can be consumed from the tap on a 24×7 basis. Water use across various sectors in India is on the rise. Various estimates and projections indicate an increasing trend in water demand for agriculture, industrial and domestic uses in the coming decades. India is also projected to move into the category of water stressed nation by 2020. FICCI Water Mission undertook a survey with its member companies to gauge the importance Indian companies attach to water, its conservation and management. The survey was also an attempt to understand the water use patterns in industries, risks associated with water, its availability, quality and the subsequent impact on the businesses. It is a prelude to a detailed study on water risks in Indian Industry with Columbia Water Centre, Earth Institute. When asked about the nature of risks associated with water there are a variety of responses that emerge from the survey. While inadequate availability is the major risk facing the industries (37%), others agree that poor water quality is another major risk in the running of business (14%). Sectors like pharmaceuticals, power, food processing and agriculture feel the brunt of poor water quality. High costs for obtaining water are hindering the business interest of smaller industries and the ones which are located in the drier regions of the country. There are different forms of irrigation. Four per cent of farmers who irrigate use drip irrigation. Twelve per cent uses pivot irrigation, another fairly efficient form of irrigation, while the remaining 84 per cent uses flood irrigation. Drip irrigation is an essential solution for the agricultural industry. Drip irrigation is a low-tech, highly efficient solution for small famers. It can increase agricultural production by as much as 50% using only 10% of the water that farmers currently use. At the same time, drip irrigation also limits topsoil erosion, pest infestation and evaporation from the plant’s surface. Let’s look at some of the advantages of utilizing a drip irrigation system:

• Increase in production & productivity.
• Improves quality and ensure early maturity of the crops.
• Water Saving up to 40% – 70%.
• Controls weed growth, saving of fertilizer (30%) and labour cost (10%).
• Control diseases.
• Use of saline water is possible if it does not harm the crop.
• Soil erosion is eliminated.
• Suitable for uneven / undulating land.
• High Water Use Efficiency.
• Reduces greenhouse emissions

The National Committee on Plasticulture Applications in Horticulture reports that drip irrigation system is suitable for growing of the following crops:

  The benefit of having a drip irrigation system is so important to ensure that you maintain and sustain quality crop all year round. EnergyBots can help you with your Drip Irrigation system. No! We do not supply drip irrigation kits but we do have the solutions available to maximize the energy efficiency and water preservation. Our solutions will enable you to be able to measure your energy consumption. YOU are in control of the timing for when you want your drip irrigation to start and finish. You have the ability to REMOTELY turn on and off your drip irrigation from the comfort of your home. There is no forgetting now that you have left the water on and wasting countless litres of valuable water. Contact our team today and let us show you how you can save money and our precious water resource. Source – FICCI Water Mission – http://ficci.in/Sedocument/20188/Water-Use-Indian-Industry-Survey_results.pdf