Adoption Of Drip Irrigation Research Articles

Impacts of Irrigation Time and Well Depths on Farmers’ Costs and Benefits in Maize Production

In the North China Plain, drought usually occurs during the interval between wheat harvest and maize sowing in normal and dry years. The first irrigation for maize plays a critical role in guaranteeing seed germination and grain yields. Using experimental data from Xinxiang in 2019 and survey data of 641 farmers from the North China Plain in 2020, this study adopts a cost-benefit analysis method to investigate the impacts of irrigation time and well depths on farmers’ costs and benefits in maize production. The results showed that farms with well depth > 120 m accounted for 49% of total farms, especially in Hebei Province, and 38% wells had low water yield < 2.7 m3 kW−1 h−1. Delaying the time of the first irrigation made maize yields decline by up to 307 kg ha−1 day−1. Well depths increased irrigation costs and total maize production cost in an exponential manner, causing farmers’ benefits to decrease exponentially with well depths. With well depth > 180 m, the proportion of irrigation cost to total cost rose to 14%, whereas well depth > 230 m directly caused the farmers’ profits negative. A critical well depth of 230 m was put forward as the upper limit for farmers adopting maize planting in the NCP. The concept of ‘rotational irrigation strategy’ and suggestions of adopting drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, or hose-reel sprinkler irrigation were recommended to advance 6–8 days for the first irrigation period, compared with traditional flood irrigation.

Why Have Economic Incentives Failed to Convince Farmers to Adopt Drip Irrigation in Southwestern Iran?

Sustainable water usage is an important global concern and an urgent priority, especially in dryland regions such as Iran. The Iranian government is actively addressing the challenge of water scarcity by encouraging farmers to adopt new water application technology. Its main element to decrease water consumption is to encourage new irrigation systems, in particular drip irrigation. However, despite the benefits of drip irrigation technologies and the availability of generous government subsidies, adoption rates of the improved irrigation technology remain critically low among Iranian farmers. Therefore, this study seeks to determine what is limiting the uptake of improved irrigation technology in Iran. While it is well known that acceptance of new technology ultimately depends on multiple and interrelated factors, we examine those factors affecting farmers’ adoption from three theoretical perspectives in the adoption literature: farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, social capital, and technology characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in Behbahan district in Khuzestan province in southwest Iran. The sample comprises 174 farmers who adopted drip irrigation in that region and 100 non-adopters who were located in the same region. Discriminant analysis reveals that a socio-economic approach is the strongest model to predict adoption of drip irrigation technology in the study area, followed by models of technical characteristics, and social capital. These results can help agricultural extension agents and policy-makers design appropriate and effective strategies that facilitate the adoption of drip irrigation at an increasing rate.

Smallholder farmer coping and adaptation strategies for agricultural water use during drought periods in the Overberg and West Coast Districts, Western Cape, South Africa

Drought is one of the most significant disasters affecting farm productivity in South Africa, with the Western Cape Province among the most affected areas. Smallholder farmers usually suffer the most due to limited resources. The study identified agricultural water use coping and adaptation strategies adopted by both crop and livestock smallholder farmers in the West Coast and Overberg districts during the recent 2015–2018 drought. Interviews were conducted with 100 smallholder farmers and 11 focus group discussions were held in the two districts. Quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, while qualitative data were analysed using Atlas.ti. Furthermore, the Hyogo Framework of Action was used to analyse the support that smallholder farmers had received and to understand how smallholder farmers could be effectively supported to promote the adoption of proactive strategies to deal with drought in the short and long term. It was found that the 2015–2018 drought occurred when smallholder farmers from both districts were least expecting it and were unprepared. In the West Coast District, the main coping strategies included using borehole water and selling livestock. In the Overberg District, smallholder farmers coped by purchasing fodder and transporting water from sources such as the river and dam to the farms. Several smallholder farmers in both districts did not implement any adaptation strategies. They were largely unaware of proactive agricultural water use strategies that could bolster their resilience to drought. Recommendations for the future include the adoption of drip irrigation, mulching, growing vegetables with shorter growing periods and changing planting dates. For livestock farmers, adaptation strategies include drilling boreholes and grazing management. There is also a need for early warning systems to improve the drought preparedness of smallholder farmers.

Assessment of Knowledge and Adoption of Drip Irrigation in Cotton Crop among Farmers of Haryana

The study was set about in the state of Haryana to gauge the knowledge and adoption level of the drip irrigation system (DIS) in the cotton crop amongst the farmers. The research highlighted that more than two-thirds of the farmers (68.33%) had a high level of knowledge of DIS. The socio-economic factors such as the family income, size of the landholdings, exposure to the mass media, education level and the socio-economic status of the respondents were significantly correlated with the overall levels of knowledge and adoption of DIS by the farmers. On a whole, more concentrated efforts are the call of the hour to increase the knowledge levels and adoption of micro irrigation techniques on a wider scale.

Editorial Volume 8 Issue 1 (January 2022)

Editorial Volume 8 Issue 1 (January 2022)

Knowledge and Adoption of Drip Irrigation in Citrus Crops among Farmers ofWestern Haryana

Water is becoming increasing scare which limits agricultural development not only in Indiabut also in many parts of the world. Drip irrigation is an incredibly efficient wateringmethod that slowly delivers water directly to plant root system. The present study wasundertaken to assess the knowledge and adoption level of drip irrigation in citrus cropsamong farmers of Haryana state. Majority of respondents belonged to middle age group(51.67%), general castes (96.67%), joint families (68.33%) and having land between 4-10hectares (45.00%). It was found that majority of sampled farmers (61.67%) had high levelof knowledge while 31.67 per cent had moderate level of knowledge of drip irrigation.More number of farmers had high level of adoption (40.00%) whereas 35.00 per cent hadmedium and 25.00 per cent had low level of adoption of drip irrigation. Socio-economicfactors like income, landholding, mass media exposure, education and socio-economic statusof farmers were found significantly associated with the level of knowledge and adoptionof drip irrigation. It is concluded that more efforts are required to increase the knowledgeof farmers about drip irrigation for wider adoption of micro-irrigation technologies.

EFFECT OF SOIL PHYSICAL PROPERTIES ON GROUNDNUT PRODUCTION UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION WITH BLACK PLASTIC MULCH

The effect of soil physical properties such as bulk density, soil moisture content, soil temperature and water use efficiency on groundnut production under drip irrigation with black plastic mulch was investigated by four treatments namely drip-T1 , drip with mulch-T2 , mulch-T3 and control-T4 . The obtained results of the bulk density are within permissible limits of 1.3 to 1.6 g cm-3 for sandy soil. Compared to all treatments, the drip with mulch treatment reported optimum soil moisture content and s oil temperature. The obtained results of water use efficiency for drip with mulch, drip, mulch, and control were 12.44,9.73, 8.05 and 6.45 kg ha-1 mm-1 duly. The higher water use efficiency under drip with mulch treatment was reported because of efficient use of application of irrigation water by adopting drip irrigation system in conjunction with black plastic mulch for conserving soil moisture content.

Enhancing Growth and Yield Parameters in Mulberry through Different Levels of Drip Irrigation and Mulching

The experiment was conducted to find out the impact of levels of drip irrigation and mulching on growth, yield and quality parameters of mulberry. Among different levels of irrigation 0.8 CPE recorded higher values for growth and leaf yield (47613 kg ha-1 year-1) parameters. Compared to lower levels of irrigation 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7 CPE. Also, mulberry plants mulched with black plastic polythene cover recorded higher values for growth and leaf yield (45143 kg ha-1 year-1) compared to plants without mulching. The interaction effect 0.8 CPE along with mulching (T8) recorded higher values for all the growth and yield parameters compared to other combination of treatments and lower values for the same were recorded in 0.5 CPE along in without mulching plot. The study revealed that adoption of drip irrigation in mulberry at 0.8 CPE along with mulching is appropriate to enhance the growth parameters (plant height, number of shoots, number of leaves, leaf area and total dry matter content) and leaf yield.

Drip fertigation for greater yam (Dioscorea alata) and maize (Zea mays) intercropping

An experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. Main and sub plots consisted of drip irrigation [I1- at 80% of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) during 1-270 days after planting (DAP), I2-at 100% of CPE during 1-90 DAP + at 80% of CPE during 91-270 DAP and I3-at 100% of CPE during 1-270 DAP] and fertigation (F1-N-P2O5-K2O 100-90-100 kg/ha, F2-N-P2O5-K2O 120-90-120 kg/ha, F3-N-P2O5-K2O 140-90-140 kg/ha and F4- N-P2O5-K2O 160-90-160 kg/ha) treatments respectively. The drip irrigation treatments I1(F2) and I2(F2) saved 17.3% (690 m3/ha) and 7.8% (310 m3/ha) irrigated water over surface flood irrigation at same level of fertilizer application (N-P2O5-K2O 120-90-120 kg/ha) (check). Electricity consumption saved 104 (17.4%) and 47 (7.9%) kWh/ha by adopting drip irrigation levels I1(F2) and I2(F2), respectively over check. The system productivity with the application of N-P2O5-K2O 100-90-100 kg/ha (F1) along with drip irrigation at I2 was comparable with check which indicated a net saving of N-K2O 20-20 kg/ha. The net income from drip irrigated greater yam (Dioscorea alata L.) + maize (Zea mays L.) under I1(F2) and I2(F2) was about 9 100 and 62 100 ₹/ha higher than the crop cultivated with surface flood irrigation (check), respectively. Greater system productivity in the treatments I2F4 (31.8%) and I2F3 (29.9%) over check indicated fertilizer responsiveness under drip fertigation. Considering environmental and economical impact, the partial deficit drip irrigation and fertigation treatment I2F3 could be the best for greater yam+maize intercropping system.

Constraints Experienced by Sugarcane Farmers in Adopting Drip Irrigation Technology

The present study was conducted in Pappireddipatti taluk of Dharmapuri District in Tamil Nadu to ascertain the constraints faced by the sugarcane growers in adopting drip (micro) irrigation technology. Altogether, 120 sugarcane growers using drip irrigation system constituted the sample of the study. The major constraints in adoption of drip irrigation technology were frequent clogging in laterals and drippers followed by system damage due to rats and other animals and lack of technical knowledge about maintenance of the drip system.

Challenges in adoption of water‐saving practices: Perspective from drip irrigation adoption in Kenya

AbstractClimate change continues to affect the availability and quantity of water needed for food production globally. Due to this, authorities have increasingly advocated for the adoption of water‐saving practices and technologies such as drip irrigation systems to increase food production as well as efficiently conserve dwindling water resources. Such technologies promise efficiency but pose adoption challenges, especially to farmers as they transition from either rainfed agriculture or other less efficient irrigation technologies. This paper investigated the challenges associated with the adoption of drip irrigation with a focus on the Kenyan context. We employ insights from the sociotechnical systems approach that take into account technology elements such as infrastructures, rationale and meaning, organizational modes, social interactions, and time and space in relation to farmers’ capabilities to transition. The paper elucidates new capabilities that policy should take into account that smallholder farmers require to transition toward drip irrigation technology consequently improving their yields. Relevant and recently published scholarly articles and grey literature, formed the database and were reviewed and qualitatively analyzed. To complement these, eight key informants were consulted. Insights gathered are relevant to practitioners within the drip irrigation field and the method is potentially useful for analysis of other agricultural technology systems.

Sustainable technology adoption by smallholder farmers and goal-oriented hope

ABSTRACT This study introduces a new perspective, suggesting that cognitive goal-oriented hope prompts the adoption of sustainable technologies by smallholder farmers. The case study selected to represent this theoretical approach is drip irrigation adoption in Senegal. Binary logistic regression analysis of the collected data from 335 plots, showed a connection between drip irrigation adoption and hope. The relative effect of hope on adoption proved greater than the effect of other previously studied factors. In addition to its theoretical innovation and empirical contribution, the significance of this research lies in its practical implications, since education, policy and communication may impact hope levels.

Implications of Adopting Drip Irrigation System on Crop Yield and Gender-Sensitive Issues: The Case of Haramaya District, Ethiopia

Integration of advanced irrigation systems and technology is essential to improve crop water productivity and yields, especially in developing countries. This study aims at investigating the effects of adopting a drip irrigation system combined with hand-dug wells on crop water productivity and yields of household farmers and their perception on the proposed scheme over two cropping seasons in the Haramaya District, Ethiopia. We chose three locally called “Kebeles” within the District, and selected a certain number of household farmers that had similar characteristics within each Kebele. The selected farmers had practiced both the proposed drip irrigation with private hand-dug wells water supply (intervention pilots) and traditionally-used surface irrigation with communal water supply (non-intervention pilots) schemes. We also conducted interviews with the selected household farmers, personal observations, and measurements on crop water productivity and yields for both intervention and non-intervention pilots. We found that the proposed drip irrigation system significantly improved the crop productivity and yields of the farmers. More importantly, findings indicated that the use of drip irrigation system combined with hand-dug well water supplies reduced the over-exploitation of water (water savings) and labor-intensive manual-irrigation. The latter particularly helped women to work less on their farm works and thus provided them a flexible system to expand their plot sizes and grow a variety of crops. Overall, the drip irrigation system with water supply from hand-dug wells is highly recommended as it allows a flexible system for household farmers and provides an opportunity to expand their plot sizes with a variety of crops, which is also expected to mitigate the negative implications of climate change on freshwater water resources and crop productivity. However, the farmers of the Haramaya District expressed their need on capacity building, financial and technical supports from local to regional governments and other agencies to ensure an efficient and cost-effective drip irrigation system and to further improve their crop water productivity and yield, food self-sufficieny, and livelihoods. It is also important to consider market-based farming approaches, while promoting efficient irrigation systems and self-supply to ensure quick investment returns. This study recommends to adopt and expand the proposed drip irrigation system at household levels in Sub-Saharan and other similar regions.

Effects of irrigation methods and salinity on CO2 emissions from farmland soil during growth and fallow periods

Drip irrigation and brackish water irrigation are considered to be the two main ways to alleviate the current shortage of agricultural freshwater resources and have been widely used in countries around the world. Our purpose is to evaluate the effects of different irrigation methods (flood irrigation and drip irrigation) and irrigation water salinities (1.1 g·L−1, 2.0 g·L−1, 3.5 g·L−1, and 5.0 g·L−1) on the soil CO2 emissions during the growth and fallow periods of spring maize. Therefore, a two-year field experiment was conducted in Hetao Irrigation District in China from 2017 to 2019. The results showed that compared with flood irrigation, drip irrigation significantly decreased the soil CO2 emissions in the growth period. After irrigation with a salinity of 5.0 g·L−1, the soil moisture was the highest because the plant water absorption was inhabited by soil salt, and the soil CO2 emissions were also promoted during the growth period. Irrigation method and irrigation water salinity had no effect on the soil CO2 emissions in the fallow period. Soil temperature, moisture and inorganic nitrogen content were the main factors affecting the daily CO2 emission flux. The soil CO2 emissions during the growth period accounted for more than 83.93% of the annual soil emissions. Based on the goal of saving freshwater resources, ensuring soil safety, reducing soil CO2 emissions and increasing the size of the carbon pool, adoption of drip irrigation with 2.0 g·L−1 brackish water could be adopted to ensure the sustainable development of local agriculture.

Character strengths and sustainable technology adoption by smallholder farmers

Sustainable food systems are required to feed a growing world population. Smallholder farmers, who produce a significant share of the food supply in many developing countries, can play a crucial role in applying such systems. In agriculture, various innovative technologies promise to have a significant part in securing a sustainable future. Clearly, however, before new technologies can benefit their users, they must first be adopted. Why do most smallholders avoid using modern cultivation technologies? Rather than focusing on socio-economic geography-related factors and information gaps, we offer a new perspective, suggesting that personal variables, such as character strengths, prompt the adoption of sustainable technologies. We put this hypothesis to an empirical test in a large-scale field study of drip irrigation (DI) adoption in Senegal. Data were collected by face-to-face questionnaires. A binary logistic regression analysis of the data obtained from 335 different plots in Senegal, showed that a significant connection existed between two character strengths, creativity and judgment, and DI adoption. Along with its theoretical and empirical contribution, the value of this study lies in its practical implications: The research focuses on variables that are malleable and likely to be influenced by policy tools and education.

Winter wheat growth and water use under different drip irrigation regimes in the North China PlainWinter wheat growth and water use under different drip irrigation regimes in the North China Plain

A 3-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the applicability of drip irrigation, winter wheat growth and water use under different drip irrigation regimes in the North China Plain (NCP) during 2014–2017. Five irrigation regimes with the soil matric potential (SMP) thresholds at 20 cm depth immediately under the emitters were − 10, − 20, − 30, − 40 and − 50 kPa. The results showed that scheduling drip irrigation with SMP thresholds at 20 cm depth obviously affected the soil moisture status in the root zone, and the lower the SMP threshold was, the lower the average soil moisture content was. Soil moisture consumption of winter wheat occurred mainly in 0–60 cm soil layer in anthesis stage, and reached a depth of 80 cm in grain filling stage, and there was no deep percolation but groundwater recharge in 130 cm layer. SMP thresholds had significant effects on grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE), and there was a tendency for the two indicators to reach their highest values when the SMP threshold was around − 40 kPa in the normal years. Both yield and WUE decreased with the decrease of SMP in the dry year. Winter wheat evapotranspiration and irrigation amount decreased by 0.12% and 0.92%, respectively, and the irrigation water use efficiency increased by 1.22% with each unit of SMP decrease. Compared with the average grain yield, irrigation amount and WUE under local surface irrigation management, drip irrigation with the SMP threshold of − 40 kPa resulted in a yield increase of 4.3%, water savings of 46.6%, and WUE increase of 10.5%. The yield increase wasn’t significant to attract farmers to adopt drip irrigation technology, but the water saving was obvious. So, in the NCP, if the investment of drip irrigation system was likely to be government subsidized, it was recommended to drip irrigate winter wheat with the SMP threshold of − 40 kPa at 20 cm depth immediately under the emitters.

Research Advances in Adopting Drip Irrigation for California Organic Spinach: Preliminary Findings

The main objective of this study was to explore the viability of drip irrigation for organic spinach production and the management of spinach downy mildew disease in California. The experiment was conducted over two crop seasons at the University of California Desert Research and Extension Center located in the low desert of California. Various combinations of dripline spacings and installation depths were assessed and compared with sprinkler irrigation as control treatment. Comprehensive data collection was carried out to fully understand the differences between the irrigation treatments. Statistical analysis indicated very strong evidence for an overall effect of the irrigation system on spinach fresh yields, while the number of driplines in bed had a significant impact on the shoot biomass yield. The developed canopy crop curves revealed that the leaf density of drip irrigation treatments was slightly behind (1–4 days, depending on the irrigation treatment and crop season) that of the sprinkler irrigation treatment in time. The results also demonstrated an overall effect of irrigation treatment on downy mildew, in which downy mildew incidence was lower in plots irrigated by drips following emergence when compared to the sprinkler. The study concluded that drip irrigation has the potential to be used to produce organic spinach, conserve water, enhance the efficiency of water use, and manage downy mildew, but further work is required to optimize system design, irrigation, and nitrogen management practices, as well as strategies to maintain productivity and economic viability of utilizing drip irrigation for spinach.

Rainfall Uncertainty and Drought Proofing Strategies by farmers in Southern India

Droughts are a common occurrence in semi-arid areas and their frequency and intensity is expected to increase further with increasing variability in rainfall distribution. Based on a study of 120 farmers from 4 districts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, this paper identified the range of measures farmers adopt in response to droughts. Despite significant negative externalities, farmers assign higher priority to drilling new wells rather than investing in water conservation structures or demand management strategies. Among the different strategies followed, adoption of drip irrigation and purchase of tanker water for providing life-saving irrigation to perennial crops yield the highest financial return. Expansion of micro irrigation and reuse of municipal waste water are suggested as drought mitigation strategies.

Social Costs and Benefits Analysis of Drip Irrigation System in Northern Maharashtra

Water is going to be increasingly scarce and thereby limits the agricultural development in almost all the corner of entire world. Efficient development with proper management of the scarce water resources is the key determinants for achieving food security not only for India, but for the entire world. This paper has analyzed and assessed the associated social costs and benefits with drip irrigation system. The adoption of drip irrigation has significant bearing on the society as a whole and generates various positive and negative externalities. The different components of social benefits are value of energy saved, value of water saved and off-farm employment generation. On the other side, cost of subsidy to the government and forced investment on well are the two components of social costs. The value of electricity saved in monetary terms was observed to be 20.3 and 11.01 thousand per ha in sugarcane and banana crops, respectively. Economic value of water used under drip and flood irrigation was computed using Cobb-Douglas production function. Economic value of water used in sugarcane was 19.90 /m3 and banana cultivation was observed to be 19.13 /m3. The quantity of water saved by adoption of drip irrigation, in monetary terms was found to be 1.1 lakh and 69.9 thousand rupees per ha of sugarcane and banana, respectively. As the life span of a drip system is around 10 years, the social costs and benefits have been discounted for 10 years to get the actual social benefit cost ratio. The social benefit cost ratio is found to be 2.08 at 10 per cent discount rate.

Sustainable innovation adoption barriers: water sustainability, food production and drip irrigation in Australia

PurposeThis paper aims to examine impediments to the adoption of sustainable water-efficient technological innovation in agriculture. Farming is the largest water consumer and food production expansion in response to global population growth, combined with increasing droughts from climate change, threatens water and food insecurity for many countries. Yet, climate smart agriculture (CSA) innovation adoption has been slow, and in this regard, governments and the agricultural sector are not fulfilling their social responsibility and sustainability obligations.Design/methodology/approachBarriers to water-efficient drip irrigation (DI) adoption in Australia were investigated via 46 depth interviews with agricultural stakeholders and a survey of 148 farmers.FindingsWhile DI water efficiency is recognised, this is not the key determinant of farmers’ irrigation method selection. Complex interrelationships between internal and external barriers impede DI adoption are identified. These include costs, satisfaction with alternative irrigation methods, farmer characteristics that determine the suitability of the innovation and the extent it is incremental or radical, plus various multidimensional risks. Government support of alternative, less water-efficient irrigation methods is also a critical barrier.Originality/valueA conceptual framework for understanding barriers to sustainability oriented innovation adoption is presented. Its insights should be applicable to researchers and practitioners concerned with understanding and improving the adoption of socially responsible and sustainable innovation in a wide range of contexts. Recommendations for overcoming such adoption barriers are discussed in relation to the research focus of water-efficient agriculture and encouraging uptake of DI.