Micro irrigation: a compelling way to water resource depletion_La micro irrigation : une voie incont

La micro irrigation : une voie incontounable pour faire face à la rareté de l'eau

Published: 04/06/2010 by Magatte NGOM

Micro irrigation: a compelling way to water resource depletion
In sub-Saharan Africa, precipitations are very variable and, in lot of areas insufficient. The dryness is in addition a recurring phenomenon. The food production depends almost entirely on rain waters, whereas the irrigation could make possible to increase the agricultural outputs at least for 50%.

Surface irrigation remains prevalent and interests more than 90% of the irrigated surfaces in the various types of installations. Currently less than 5% of cultivated surfaces in sub-Saharan Africa are irrigated and 50% of installations used remain summary.

Surface irrigation consists in distributing water on the cultivated piece by streaming of water on the ground in the furrows between plant rows, in the surface with some water thickness or by controlled immersion etc.

In this type of irrigation, the water infiltrations in the channels ground irrigation as well as the difficulty in controlling the flow rate delivered through the breaches involve a wasting of water and a great heterogeneity of irrigation. One estimates these losses at more than 50% in addition to the uniformity of the irrigations which influences the production negatively. What poses the problem of the efficiency and use control of the irrigation water.

Also, the gradual water resource depletion, as well as the constant increase of water demand for the agricultural development, industrialization and human consumption poses the need to reflect on a strategy combining water saving utilization, economy in energy and increase agricultural production. This will go through the establishment of best water supply management and best choice of irrigation systems.

About the irrigation systems, drip irrigation and micro spray are the best solution to economize water and energy, increase yields and grow crops on marginal land. Therefore its promotion is built in right line of the strategy in the fields of preservation and sustainable management of natural resources and the achievement of food security.