For a more accurate and efficient Irrigation System
Agriculture is the economic activity that exerts the greatest pressure on the world’s water resources. The transport, distribution and supply of water for agricultural activity requires a High level of energy, which is a fundamental part of the financial expenses needed to ensure production. Thegreater environmental awareness,theincrease in electricity pricesin the rates and the decrease in water quality and quantity have led to the search for solutions that promote the efficient Use of water and energy in the different agricultural Irrigation applications and systemsWater and energy efficiency is defined as “the ability to use as little water and energy as possible to achieve given production objectives.” Greater efficiency in the production system allows the same result to be achieved with fewer resources
“Thelocalized Irrigation irrigation is the irrigation system that allows a higher productive and economic yield and, therefore, the one that provides the best values of the indexes associated to the productive activity”
At the agricultural level,the design criteria for Irrigation systems must take into account in a more dynamic way the availability of new materials and products, application knowledge and environmental awareness to boost productivity in the use of water and energy. There is no point in making use of a more efficient Irrigation system if the most appropriate criteria are not considered in the design phase of the installation, the irrigation practice and the maintenance of the system
Criteria from an application engineering perspective:
- Hydraulic Frame Design that allows a high spatial and temporal homogeneity.
- Reduced operating pressure requirements, thus reducing the energy dedicated to the transportation, distribution and delivery of irrigation water to the plant.
- High level of homogeneity in the distribution of spatial pressure in the irrigated area and that allows the plant to receive a uniform amount of water.
- Irrigation according to design ratings avoiding deviations that alter the water uniformity determined at the design stage.
- Irrigation system maintenance through an inspection protocol. Ensures that all functional elements comply with the level and operating conditions defined in the design phase of the Irrigation system through the necessary maintenance.
Failure to comply with these criteria leads to uneven spatial and temporal application on each plot. This leads to a strategic decision being made toestablish Irrigation patterns.
It requires deciding whether to supply water directly to areas with a more favored supply or to increase that supply to the Irrigation sector area as a whole so that areas that receive a smaller water supply do not experience water shortagesmonitoring through digital tools these tools not only allow the diagnosis of conditions in irrigated areas, but should also be used as a design tool to identify and combine areas with similar characteristics and to identify the most suitable areas for irrigationcreate new design guidelines that allow for a uniform water response to the crop.
It is the shared responsibility of all professionals linked to this industry to raise awareness among all those involved in the efficient use of resources used in production activities, as well as to inform the consumer about the resources used in production so that they canmake decisions regarding their contribution to the water footprint and carbon footprint.
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