Highly Beneficial Technologies
The Development of new technologies in the utilization
of water came out of pure necessity and not mostly as the
result of any R&D activity.
Israel, the pioneering country in the utilization of technology
for the proper irrigation of crops, came to the conclusion
that it is either technology in agriculture or nothing absolutely
due to the scarcity of water in that part of the Middle
East.
High quality products:-
Technology allowed Israel, located in a small chunk of territory
with a very small to nil yearly precipitation in some of
its regions, to develop not only a very powerful agro sector
which caters totally to the need for food of the population
but also products high quality products for overseas markets.
High quality fruits, flowers and vegetables grown in Israel
under micro irrigation or protected environment (green houses,
shed houses and the like) can be found these days in the
most exclusive supermarkets and flower stands around the
globe, from New York to Singapore and from London to Tokyo.
Only technology made this possible.
One comment I would like to add at the outset of this article,
is that all the technologies implemented in Israel (and
in many other countries) are the work of hard-working small
to medium size farmers, maintaining only their families
with the income.
This is in contrast to the wrong belief that only corporate
farming can be successful and prosperous. Contrary to the
belief that drip irrigation is a technology meant only to
save water, it is clear now, after implementing the technology
for over forty years that proper drip irrigation technology
not only saves enormous amount of water, but has immediate
repercussions in many more economical aspects.
To mention a few of them:-
›
Reduction in the consumption of power (less water utilized
and consequently, less pumping)
›
Lesser depletion of the water table, making available more
water for drinking, sanitary use, industry and urban development
›
Increased quality of crops, by applying the water and fertilizers
when the crop needs it and not when water is available
›
Less use of fertilizers. These are applied in a simple cum
scientific way, through the dripper lines of the drip systems,
making available the necessary elements to the plants in
the most convenient delivery system
›
By reducing the amount of fertilizers, we cause less pollution
to nature, avoiding unnecessary chemicals to leak to other
water source as wells, lakes and rivers
›
Lesser proliferation of weeds, an immediate economic advantage
to the farmer, due to less herbicides or labours and very
important ecological implications as well
| Yield
and Water utilization (Flood vs. Drip) in field Crops |
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