Drip irrigation, also known as trickle irrigation, is an irrigation method that saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants. This method allows water to go directly to the roots of the plants drop by drop. Unlike traditional irrigation methods that water the entire soil surface, only a portion of the soil is wetted behind each emitter during drip irrigation.
Components of a basic Drip Irrigation System
A basic drip irrigation system has a few key components that work together to automatically deliver water directly to the plant roots.
Water Source
The water source is where the irrigation water comes from - things like wells, ponds, lakes, municipal water systems.
Pump
An electric pump is used to pressurize the water from the water source to generate the pressure needed for the drip tubes and emitters to operate.
Filter and Fertilizer Injector
A filter removes any particles in the water that could clog the emitters. A fertilizer injector mixes fertilizers into the pressurized water line.
Mainline and Submainlines
The main water line carries water from the pump under pressure through the irrigation area. Branch submainlines carry water from the mainline to specific zones or areas of plants.
Valves
Control valves installed on submainlines allow individual zones to be turned on or off. This provides control over watering different plant groups.
Drip Tubes and Emitters
Perforated polyethylene drip tubes are buried beneath Mena Drip Irrigation System the soil surface with low-flow emitters attached along their length that slowly drip water to the root zones of plants.
Controller
An automatic timer or controller opens and closes valves to water plants on a preset schedule based on the plants' watering needs. Controllers are battery-operated or plug into an electric outlet.
Benefits of Drip Irrigation in the MENA Region
Adopting drip irrigation techniques has many benefits that are highly applicable to the water-scarce countries of the Middle East and North Africa region. Some of the key benefits include:
Water Conservation
Drip irrigation is one of the most water efficient irrigation methods, reducing water use by 30-60% compared to overhead methods like sprinklers. In arid regions with limited water resources, this considerable water savings is very valuable.
High Irrigation Uniformity
When set up properly, drip irrigation provides very uniform water distribution to each plant. This means every plant receives the right amount of water it needs through individual emitters. Overhead methods often result in unequal watering.
Less Evaporation and Runoff
Because water is applied slowly and only to the soil surface, evaporation losses are minimal compared to sprinklers where water is dispersed into the air. Very little runoff occurs with drip as water penetrates into the soil.
Ideal for Sloping Land
The flexibility of drip tubing makes it ideal for irregularly shaped fields and sloping terrain common in the region. Uniform irrigation is still achieved on hilly areas unsuitable for flood or sprinkler irrigation.
Fertilizer Application
Fertilizer injectors allow for fertilizers to be blended with irrigation water and delivered directly to plant roots through the same tubing network as water. This boosts fertilizer efficiency and reduces leaching.
Labor Savings
Drip irrigation systems automate watering once set up through electronic control timers. This drastically reduces the labor needed to manually operate and monitor overhead systems. Labor is a major cost factor in the agriculture sector across MENA.
Year-Round Cropping
Moderated moisture levels beneath the soil surface enable year-round cultivation of crops that could otherwise only be planted during wet seasons. This increases cropland productivity.
Challenges of Drip Irrigation Adoption in MENA
While drip irrigation offers clear benefits, some challenges have limited its widespread adoption across MENA countries so far:
Higher Initial Installation Costs
Setting up a complete drip network requires more material components than flood irrigation. The upfront capital costs have deterred some farmers used to low-cost traditional methods.
Technical Expertise Required
Proper system design, installation, maintenance and repair need technical skills not readily available everywhere. Training programs are helping to develop such expertise in the region.
Clogging Risks
Drip systems are prone to clogging from particles or biological growth if water sources are not filtered adequately. Maintenance to monitor and flush lines periodically is important.
Pumping Energy Demands
Pressurizing drip laterals requires more energy than gravity-fed surface irrigation. While pumping costs can be offset by water savings, reliable and affordable energy access is another challenge in rural areas.
Lack of Adoption Incentives
Farmers may be reluctant to adopt an unfamiliar technology without financial or policy incentives. Governments play a role in fostering adoption through low-interest loans, subsidies or mandates in some cases to realize water and food security benefits on a wider scale.
With its valuable water conservation ability, drip irrigation has immense potential to enhance agricultural productivity while preserving scarce water resources throughout the arid MENA region. While higher upfront costs and technical barriers have hampered broader adoption, successful demonstration projects and supportive policies by governments offer promise to realize the full food security and environmental benefits drip irrigation can deliver on a large scale in the coming decades. With innovative financing measures and training programs to build local expertise, expanded use of drip irrigation stands to aid sustainable development across Middle Eastern and North African countries.
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No one needs to intentionally squander water, yet since over portion of a run-of-the-mill family water use is outside, an ineffectively planned irrigation system is typically the reason.
Be that as it may, it additionally originates from planting plants in some unacceptable areas.
More often than not, they put together its activity with respect to if their plants are progressing nicely.Here is a rundown of basic practices that great scene experts stick to.
Not after these focuses can bring about more exorbitant fixes, wasteful irrigation, overwatering, and higher upkeep.All irrigation systems should be furnished with a vacuum breaker as needed by the Uniform Plumbing Code.
These could be over-the-ground climatic vacuum breakers that are incorporated into the over-the-ground valves, or it very well may be a pressure vacuum breaker that is introduced before the valves which would then be underground situated in a valve box.
Over-the-ground valves should not be utilized in environments where freezing is a worry and uncovered PVC pipe is anything but a smart thought all things considered.A shut-off valve should be situated along your mainline before the vacuum breaker so you can kill the irrigation line for fixes while keeping up water for the principal house.Dribble systems work under low tension, normally 20-30 psi.
