Agriculture is the livelihood of most of the Indians. Indian agricultural system is entirely dependent on the monsoon. Rains are unpredictable and seasonal, which leads to extended dry periods and leads to unfavourable conditions. The consumption of water is rising day by day, thereby leading to water scarcity. Nowadays, farmers are struggling very hard in the agricultural field. The task of watering the fields has become challenging due to lack of regularity and negligence in their behaviour. Innovative irrigation techniques have been developed to save farmers’ time and money and help them protect their crops. Irrigation involves the artificial application of water to the plants and crops and meets their requirements. The benefit of employing the irrigation system is to make the lives comfortable and avoid uncertainty.
Moreover, these systems have evolved to reduce human interference in the farms and make the approach feasible and affordable. A smart irrigation system measures the soil’s moisture and automatically turns on and off the water supply according to the need. Irrigation is a very time-consuming process and must be done on a regular basis. Selecting the right irrigation could be very tricky and complicated. Knowing which alternative will work best for you requires excellent knowledge about the requirements. Having an effective system is crucial as it will provide the essential nutrients to the soil. Hand watering is not recommended as it leads to a lot of wastage of water because the water seeps into the ground. A smart irrigation system is the use of high-level technology in which the information is collected from the sensors that make the water sprinkler go off and water the fields in the distance. This advanced wireless technology will dampen the areas according to the requirements and drive to a lot of water conservation. Let us discuss the factors to consider before choosing the irrigation system:
financial needs: It is essential to check the economic feasibility to determine the budget. Some irrigation system have high operating cost but useless labour. So we have to choose between the capital and labour intensive irrigation system. Some plans are relatively expensive to build than the other ones. Before finalizing the decision, consider the costs of maintenance and the expected life of the system to save yourself from huge expenses.
Harmony with other farm operations: An irrigation system should be designed so that the different processes are not suffering because of it. Using heavy and oversized pieces of equipment will require a lot of space, making it impossible for the other equipment to be used. Small and portable equipment are desirable as they can be easily moved from one place to another.
Topographical characteristics: It can be a big challenge to water the fields in the hilly and sloped areas. Topographical characteristics significantly affect irrigation. The inclination of the field and the uniformity of the site is significant when you have to choose the right irrigation system. The location, the elevation of water supply, access to roads, access to essential utilities is important to decide which irrigation system will work well in the particular area.
Soil attributes: Soil attributes are essential to taken care because it holds the moisture that plants and crops need to grow. As you know, there are multiple types of soils, but all grounds are not best for plants and crops. The sandy soil is regarded as most suitable to hold and retain moisture content for better development of plants and crops as compared to clay soil.
Water supply: The major thing to be considered while choosing irrigation practice is the quality and quantity of the water. The crops require a high amount of water during the growing season, and that too continuously.