Water use in food production is a growing problem in the face of climate change and a rising global population. Water is an increasingly scarce global resource, and agriculture is the biggest consumer of our planet’s finite water resources. Globally, agriculture uses 70% of the world’s fresh water supply and 95% of all water withdrawals in some developing countries.
- Drip irrigation is the most water-efficient irrigation system, capable of dramatically reducing a farm’s water use while increasing crop yields and quality. But, like every irrigation system, drip irrigation isn’t a magic bullet. Drip irrigation is expensive to install and labor-intensive and may not pencil out in lower-value crops.
- Drip irrigation is a low-pressure system for precision water delivery. It uses a system of pipes, tubing and emitters or sprinklers. Drip irrigation is also sometimes known as trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation and water is delivered in low amounts but over long periods of time.
- Compared to traditional irrigation methods such as center pivot irrigation or flood irrigation, a drip or micro-irrigation system can increase a farmer’s water efficiency by up to 70% and reduce energy costs by 50%.
