Irrigation is the process by which farmers deliver water to their crops.  Well over half of the freshwater consumed worldwide, 70% in fact, is consumed by agriculture. Finding new ways to shrink that number by irrigating in more a targeted manner is one of ag-tech’s innovation focus areas.

Global climate change is altering weather patterns and bringing drought to areas that were historically prime farmland. All the while, the human population is growing, requiring ever more food and water resources. By 2050, it is estimated that 25-40% of agriculture’s current water supply will need to be re-directed to other societal needs.

80% of all farmland relies on rain to grow crops. As rain patterns change however, many of these areas will be forced to adopt irrigation. The simplest, most common type is flood irrigation. This non sustainable, more primitive method involves flooding fields with local surface and subsurface water resources, losing half to evaporation in the process.

The solution lies in technology-driven sustainable innovation. As farmers work to grow more food with less water, they need the best cutting-edge technology in precision agriculture to succeed.

Micro-irrigation is quickly becoming a popular and sustainable choice for farmers facing water scarcity. This umbrella term includes drip, sprinkler, and subsurface drip irrigation techniques that deliver water directly to the root zone of the crop. These technologies are much more efficient, increasing crop yields while reducing water and fertilizer consumption, energy use, labor, and weed pressure.

The future of irrigation innovation is also smart, connected systems that use sensor technology.This approach incorporates real-time soil moisture and temperature sensors, plant turgor sensors, satellite imagery and weather information to irrigate on an as-needed basis for optimum crop growth. The complex communication between each of these components is enabled by wireless sensor networks (WSN) and cloud communication via the Internet of Things (IoT). These technologies provide farmers with an up-to-date picture of what is happening in their fields. Data from these systems can then be compiled and analyzed using complex software tools, alerting farmers to future risks and trends.

It will take time before these new technologies get to some of the world’s most remote farms but in the meantime, progress is being made in reducing farm water use.

T.Z.

Want to learn more about sustainability in ag? Check out the other articles in this series:

Regenerative Agriculture 101: 5 Fundamental Regenerative Practices

Regenerative Agriculture 101: Healthy Soil

Regenerative Agriculture 101: GPS Technology on the Farm

Regenerative Agriculture 101: Robotic Systems

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