Weekly Spotlight Series
Water scarcity is one of the most difficult problems for rural farmers to overcome. Farmers who rely on rainfed agriculture often lose valuable crops to dry seasons and droughts. By installing drip irrigation systems, small-scale farmers can drastically increase their yields and incomes.
Drip irrigation is arguably one of the world’s most valued innovations in agriculture, but many poor farmers lack access to the technology. Fintrac is helping farmers to build and use drip irrigation systems. The most commonly used system, subsurface drip irrigation, consists of either buried lines or drip tape located at or below the plant roots. Farmers then control the amount and timing of water delivered to crops, which improves yields dramatically.
Drip irrigation allows farmers to apply water efficiently with little waste, irrigate irregularly shaped fields, recycle water, minimize soil erosion and weed growth, and reduce labor costs. Saving time and farming more efficiently translate directly into increased yields and incomes for farmers.
