Crop irrigation has been around for millennia. But faced with global water scarcity, a major area of technological development relates to water use efficiency in agriculture. To combat a predicted increase in global irrigation demand, we showcase innovative examples ranging from drip irrigation to water recycling and remote sensing technologies for precise water application.
Innovation examples
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Innovation examplesThe drip irrigation revolution
Getty Images /© Jurij SavenkoModern drip irrigation began in Germany in 1860. Researchers experimented with subsurface irrigation using clay pipes to create combined irrigation and drainage systems. The technology was further developed into a practical surface drip irrigation system by the company Netafim in Israel.[1] Uptake was slow at first. Introduced to California in the late 1960s, by 1988 a modest 5 percent of land was irrigated using this system. However, by 2010, 40 percent of irrigated land in California was using drip irrigation.[2] Contrary to conventional irrigation methods that range from flooding entire fields or laying water in furrows, drip irrigation systems pump water through long thin plastic tubes stretched across fields. The technology allows for a more precise application of water which travels along the length of the tube and trickles down to the base of plants through hundreds of drippers. This direct application of water also reduces water loss from evaporation. The enormous water-saving potential of drip irrigation technology can be regarded as an important breakthrough in the face of increased drought and water scarcity. It allows farmers to better control timing and the amount of watering. They can reduce water consumption by as much as 60 percent and significantly increase crop yields compared with conventional irrigation methods. New solutions and business models are continuously being developed suitable for off-grid markets, low-income communities and small-scale farmers in Africa, Asia and South America.[3] [c3- 69]
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Innovation examplesOff-grid irrigation systems
Getty Images / © xefstockThe cost of large-scale water-saving irrigation systems can often be a significant barrier for low-income countries. For this reason, some of the technologies associated with the Green Revolution have had a relatively low impact in regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Low-cost solar-powered irrigation systems could be one solution to lack of electric grid connectivity in many countries. It could also protect farmers from fluctuating prices of fossil fuels. Researchers at Stanford University have analyzed solar-powered drip irrigation as a strategy for enhancing food security in the rural Sudano-Sahel region of West Africa. They used household surveys and field data in a matched-pair comparison of villages in northern Benin to study the effect on adoptees of a solar photovoltaic (PV) drip irrigation system. Through the first year of harvest in these villages, they found that solar-powered drip irrigation significantly increased both household income and nutritional intake, particularly during the dry season, and was cost effective compared to alternative technologies.[1] Several companies and start-ups on the continent are now offering solar-powered irrigation systems to bring water to the fields through business models such as pay-as-you-go or leasing.
Proven technologies
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesLow-pressure irrigation system
Netafim
Getty Images /© DiyanaDimitrovaNetafim is a leading provider of irrigation solutions offering their technologies worldwide. Products include a patented low-pressure drip irrigation system. It includes special low-pressure dripper units and a system of connectors allowing for easy assembly. Drip irrigation saves water as it delivers water – and possibly also nutrients – frequently and in small doses across a field, directly to each plant’s root zone.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Israel
- Availability: Worldwide
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesLining irrigation canals
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusamenarbeit (GIZ)
Getty Images /© ImagineGolfLining canals can save substantial amounts of water by minimizing leaks and seepage from irrigation. Because canals enable better distribution of irrigation water, they reduce pumping needs. Therefore they are mainly used to improve efficiency of existing irrigation systems. Various methods exist. An example of good practice is lining the main earthen irrigation canals with concrete and their sides with solid cement blocks. Concrete support posts are then set at intervals and also capped in concrete. Where water is diverted from the main canal into the secondary canals, the turnouts are built in cement and equipped with gates that open and close as required. Canal lining has been practiced for thousands of years. A number of organizations, including GIZ, have developed manuals and guidelines describing their implementation and benefits.
- Contracting type: Free/Locally available materials
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: N/A
- Availability: Worldwide
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesAlternate wetting and drying (AWD)
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
Getty Images /© wiratgasemAWD is a water-saving technology that allows farmers to reduce irrigation water consumption in rice fields by 30 percent without yield losses. AWD also reduces the frequency of flooding in rice farms. This improves soil structure quality. Importantly, AWD has been proven to effectively mitigate greenhouse gas emission – specifically methane – from rice production by between 30–70 percent. AWD entails periodic draining of a field to a certain threshold followed by re-flooding. Simple plastic tubes can be used to monitor water depth on the field. After irrigation, water depth will gradually decrease. When the water level has dropped to about 15 cm below the soil surface, the field should be re-flooded to a depth of about 5 cm. From one week before flowering to a week after, the field should be kept flooded and topped up to a depth of 5 cm as needed. After flowering, during grain filling and ripening, the water level can be allowed to drop again to 15 cm below the soil surface before re-irrigation. AWD does not require advanced equipment other than a well-functioning irrigation management system.
- Contracting type: Free/Locally available materials
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: N/A
- Availability: Lowland rice-growing areas
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesSmartphone control of alternative energy powered irrigation system
TECH-INNOV NIGER
Photo: © Tech-innov NigerThe founder of the Tech-Innov company, Abdou Maman, has developed a remote-controlled irrigation system adapted to the semi-arid conditions of Niger in West Africa. It introduces the concepts of digital farms and tele-irrigation in support of agricultural development in the country. The company provides farmers with tools enabling them to move away from manual watering and reduce water waste. The system uses mobile devices so farmers can manage irrigation remotely and efficiently. It also integrates hydraulic and meteorological data so farmers can optimize water usage.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Niger
- Availability: Niger
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesIrrigation control system
Agua Control
Getty Images /© Simon SkafarAgua Control provides automatic irrigation control systems. These help farmers decide when to water their crops and by how much. They also help do this more accurately. With local or remote access via mobile phone or internet, this technology can be installed in an orchard connected to a network of sensors, pumps and control valves that allow remote monitoring and water control. The technology is suitable for large-scale applications and can measure and control water flow, as well as save water by detecting pump failures or leakages. This service also includes the control and monitoring of ground and surface water supplies and assesses soil moisture using sensors. Measurement of soil moisture, along with variables such as evapotranspiration in leaves and climate forecasts, contribute to determining irrigation needs.
- Contracting type: For sale/Service
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Chile
- Availability: Chile
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesCombined rainwater harvesting and irrigation
Naireeta Services
Photo: © Naireeta ServicesBhungroo is a simple rainwater infiltration and storage technology developed in India. It helps save crops from becoming waterlogged during monsoons and ensures adequate irrigation during dry seasons. The technology contains an underground unit that filters, injects and stores excess farm or storm water. The unit top consists of a cemented pit 1–2.5 meters in diameter and 0.5–1 meters deep. Units are normally installed on land that has a slight tilt or gradient. Connected to the cemented pit is a pipe descending to a depth of up to 100 meters that allows water to be stored in coarse sand soil layers. Water stored in this way during rainy seasons can then be pumped for irrigation during a dry season. Bhungroo technology is handmade from locally available materials and only requires a one-time low capital investment. End users are personally involved in erection, maintenance and self-propagation. The technology is open source to enable scalability.
- Contracting type: Service/Open source
- Technology level: Low
- Country of origin: India
- Availability: Asia
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Proven technologiesSolar irrigation
SunCulture
Getty Images /© Billy HustaceOff-grid solar irrigation can enable farmers in remote locations to adapt to a warmer climate and increase farm output. The company SunCulture provides off-grid solar technology. This includes products that combine solar water pumping technology with high-efficiency drip irrigation. Solar irrigation systems are suitable for farms of up nearly one hectare and include a submersible pump, 50 meter electric cable, solar panels plus fittings. The submersible pump can pump water from a depth of 70 meters and has a flow rate of 50 L/min. Batteries support up to four lights, two phones and a water pump. Through their Pay-as-you-Grow option farmers can pay for the technology in small monthly installments.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: High
- Country of origin: Kenya
- Availability: Kenya
Frontier technologies
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Frontier technologiesFertigation and irrigation with treated municipal wastewater
Yamagata University
Getty Images /© Dinesh AhirWater recycling can result in more reliable irrigation water sources. Continuous irrigation systems with treated wastewater could offer a cost-effective way to recycle water and plant nutrients while eliminating mineral fertilizer use. Researchers at Yamagata University have proposed a wastewater reuse practice that provides rice cultivation fertilization and irrigation by supplying continuous treated municipal wastewater throughout the crop season. Water is applied to the soil surface of paddy fields or via an underground pipe system eliminating mineral fertilizers and saving freshwater. The system has produced rice yields with a higher protein content compared to conventional rice fields using mineral fertilizers and channel water irrigation.[1]
- Contracting type: Research collaboration
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: Japan
- Availability: N/A
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Frontier technologiesPrecision irrigation intelligence system using remote sensing
Manna
Precision irrigation intelligence systemManna offers multi-spectral high-resolution satellite imagery of fields the world over. This solution enables precision agriculture. In particular, systems and methods designed for precision irrigation based, among other factors, upon the actual and forecasted water needs of a specified crop. There is a pay-as-you-go pricing model for the remote sensing of fields. The company also provides targeted irrigation recommendations based on a combination of remote sensing data, pin-point weather information and crop-specific models. Soil characteristics are factored into local growing practices to develop irrigation recommendations for better planning and water stress strategies.
- Contracting type: For sale
- Technology level: High
- Country of origin: Israel
- Availability: Worldwide
Horizon technologies
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Horizon technologiesSuper moisture absorbent gel (SMAG)
University of Texas
Getty Images /© LuFeeTheBearEngineers at the University of Texas have developed an atmospheric water irrigation system based on a new type of soil – super moisture absorbent gel (SMAG). This gel added to soil harvests water from cooler, more humid night-time air. During day-time, solar heating of the soil activates the gels. These then release water into the soil, providing water for plants even in drought-ridden areas. Some of the water distributed through the gels into the soil evaporates, increasing humidity. This could liberate farming systems in underdeveloped and dry areas from relying on long-distance water and power supplies for irrigation. Depending on crop, approximately 0.1–1 kg of the soil can provide enough water to irrigate about 1 km² of farmland.[2].
- Contracting type: N/A
- Technology level: Medium
- Country of origin: United States
- Availability: N/A
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3. Agriculture and forestry / Irrigation / Horizon technologiesRobotic irrigation systems
University of California, Merced
Getty Images /© Edwin TanArtificial intelligence (AI)-based and automated solutions could increase water efficiency in the irrigation sector. In one example, researchers at the University of California have explored robotic irrigation solutions for precision application of water grape vines. As infrared sensing and drones for remote monitoring of plant status are already available, researchers looked at ways to exploit that information. This included attaching small, cheap plastic emitters to individual irrigation lines. These were then controlled by devices operated by field workers or mounted on mobile robots. The devices signalled to the emitters when to adjust the amount of water received by each vine. The robots travel along rows of crops adjusting irrigation flows according to data provided by sensors, thus watering each vine according to need.
- Contracting type: Research collaboration
- Technology level: High
- Country of origin: United States
- Availability: N/A
REDD stands for “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation”. The “+” represents forest conservation and management.
Hydroponics is using water as a medium instead of soil, whereas aeroponics is growing plants suspended in misted air. Aquaponics combines hydroponics and fish farming in an integrated nutrient recycling system.
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