“Amid pandemic, Malva farmers experimenting with
drip irrigation’’ read the headlines.
I read, and then re-read the headlines a couple of
times more. What was the common denominator between pandemic and drip
irrigation? I still haven’t figured it out.
The important point is that someone has seen the
benefits of drip irrigation. What I find some what alarming, but quite amusing,
is the use of the word experimenting!
Drip irrigation has been around for the better part
of over 60 years.
On a trip to Israel in the mid 60s I had occasion to
visit a Kibbutz.
A kibbutz is a community type of farm where all the
members do a specific job. Most of the work is agricultural, it was at that
time, because Israel was a young country and there was a shortage of food. That
was a really difficult task, growing food because Israel has no water! It’s a
dessert land. No surprise then that water is considered a very precious
commodity in Israel.
They have the Mediterranean Sea. Its salt water.
They have built de-salination plants to fulfil their needs. Water is used
judicially and sensibly. Not a drop of water is wasted.
At the Kibbutz there was an orchard of citrus
fruits. There was no evidence of watering the trees.
That’s when I learnt about drip irrigation. That was
about 56 years ago. In Punjab we are still at the experimental stage. It is
definitely worth asking that what the Research in Rural and Industrial Development
office has been doing for half of a century.
What has PAU accomplished in all these year? Why
they have not imparted this information, knowledge, technology to the farmer
and saved Punjab from becoming a dessert.
Had nobody heard of drip irrigation? Obviously not.
So we are still going to experiment in 2020! Amazing!
This is how drip irrigation works;
Drip irrigation is a micro-irrigation system
designed to save water from evaporation. The watering is done from below the
surface and not from above as we do in India.
Pipes are laid out below the surface at the root level. As such the
water is fed directly to the roots. The result is almost zero evaporation. This
system of drip irrigation is suitable for almost all types of crops.
The pipes are laid out in a neat geometric design.
This is to make sure that water is distributed evenly across the entire fields
where crops will be sown. The depth of the pipes will have to be decided by the
expert on drip irrigation. I hope you can find one.
The seeds are planted and as the first shoots appear,
they search for water. Water is found well below the surface, this means the
shoots will be longer and more secure. This promises a sturdy plant that will
grow well and give an abundant produce.
Weeds will also grow in between the crops. However
weeds have very short roots and they will not be able to reach the water. As
such they will die a natural death! No expense of weedicide. Or the labour
required for de-weeding. A major expense has been saved.
The purpose of the exercise has been accomplished.
The entire nourishment of water and nutrients go to the main crop. It will be
healthy and give a better yield.
Most important impact of drip irrigation, zero
evaporation. Also not taping underground water in excess.
It is the need of the hour in Punjab to ward of the
calamity of desertification.
It will have to be done on a war footing, under
scientific advice and not political reasons and considerations.
It is also tine for the Research in Rural and
Industrial Development to prove there acumen.