The ins and outs of irrigation: a basic guide for crop farmers

As climate change intensifies and water resources dwindle, innovative irrigation techniques and sustainable water management become increasingly vital. Sinenhlanhla Mncwango spoke to industry experts about the importance of irrigation for crop farmers.

- Sinenhlanhla Mncwango

In the quest to achieve sustainable agriculture and global food security, the connection between crops and water is paramount. Efficient crop irrigation is more than just a farming practice; it is a sophisticated science that ensures plants receive the precise amount of water they need at the very moment they need it. According to Sixolise Mcinga, senior analyst in sustainable agriculture at GreenCape, an NPO that drives the widespread adoption of green economy solutions, crop irrigation is the process of applying controlled amounts of water to plants or crops at the required intervals. She adds that this is essential for maintaining soil moisture levels that are conducive to crop growth, particularly in regions that receive insufficient rainfall.

IRRIGATION PLANNING

"There are several factors farmers must consider when measuring or determining the amount of water they need to give their crops, namely the type of crop, as they have varying water requirements; the growth stage; soil type; drainage; climate; and root depth. The root depth directly affects the volume of water that plants draw from the soil, making it a critical factor in effective irrigation planning," says Mcinga. She adds that proper irrigation planning is crucial to ensure crops receive adequate water and to avoid overirrigation.

Several approaches are used to achieve adequate water supply, including soil moisture measurement, irrigation scheduling, a water budget, canopy temperature measurement, evapotranspiration (ET), and the pan evaporation method.

"There are different types of irrigation methods, such as sprinkler irrigation, where water is sprayed into the air and falls like rain over the crops. This means the crops receive a uniform water application, and because it's an automated system, there is an even distribution of water," explains Mcinga.