Advantages and Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation

Drip Irrigation is a kind of micro irrigation system that saves water but at the same time ensures that water reaches the roots of the plants. It works to drip slowly. Drip Irrigation can work from both above or under the surface of the soil. It works effectively to ensure that all your plants get what they need.

Advantages of Drip Irrigation System

• Due to improper water supply, fertilizers and nutrients cannot reach the roots of every plant. Drip Irrigation system helps it to reach effectively.

• If you want to gain efficiency in water application, then installing the Drip Irrigation system is a must.

• Field leveling is done by installing this type of irrigation system. When your field is evenly leveled you can plant properly.

• Whatever your field capacity is, they need moisture. Roots should be hydrated.

• Soil erosion and weed growth are reduced.

• Water distribution can be controlled. According to the necessity, water is produced to every root.

• You do not any helping hand to water your plants anymore. So Drip Irrigation also confirms zero labor cost.

• It is a low-cost process that can also be done in low water pressure.

Disadvantages of Drip Irrigation System

• The installation process needs time. Sometimes may need court approval in some lands.

• Sun heat affects tubes, sometimes they get broken for excessive heat production.

• Plastic tubes affect soils fertility. Sun degrades plastic sometimes and that affect soil and fertilizers too.

• Tubes get clogged sometimes. Water cannot pass through and roots get dehydrated.

• If Drip Irrigation is not installed properly, then it is a waste of time, water and heat.

Micro-irrigation: The way ahead for sustainable agriculture

India is facing the twin challenge of water scarcity and population explosion. The ongoing water crisis has affected nearly 600 million people and is expected to only worsen: The country's population is touted to increase to 1.6 billion by 2050.

The agriculture sector is the largest consumer of water in India. It accounts for approximately 90 per cent of 761,000 billion litres of annual freshwater withdrawals in the country. Per capita consumption of water in agriculture sector ranges from 4,913 to 5,800 kilolitre per capita per year.

Agriculture may have to face the brunt: Water would be diverted to other sectors and agriculture would have to make its peace with lesser and poorer quality of water.

Climate change too has aggravated water scarcity concerns: It can, through its impact on weather patterns, affect livelihoods and well-being of our farming community.

The impact of climate change is much more evident in Indian agriculture, where around 85 per cent farmers are small and marginal and 60 per cent agriculture is dependent upon the vagaries of monsoon. The role of irrigation, therefore, takes the front seat.

The continued irrigation through traditional practices since the introduction of Green revolution in the 1960's, however, has begun to show its multitudinous ill effects on groundwater quality and height, water logging, soil salinity, soil health, crop productivity, partial factor productivity and cost economics of farm practices.