Irrigation is the process of artificially flooding a field or piece of land with water to help crops grow. It is often used to help make dry soil fertile in areas that do not benefit from natural flooding or rainfall. There are a number of different methods of irrigation, each aiming to efficiently supply crops with the water they need to flourish.
Many cultures can rely solely upon natural methods to water their crops. Many farmers make use of seasonal floods that enrich their soil, and many farmers simply rely on regular rainfall. These methods, though cost-effective, aren’t always completely reliable. In the event of a drought, crops may die and this will have a hugely negative impact on the livelihood of those depending on the well being of crops. Irrigation is not only a solution for areas with a lack of natural watering; it is also a good system to have in place to fall back on in case of emergency.
Irrigation was developed thousands of years ago by ancient civilisations that used it for the same purposes as it is used today. The earliest recorded irrigation canal dates back to 6000BC, and was a simple but effective method of distributing water around crops. These people harnessed the power of floods and rivers by channelling it through carefully excavated canals. They often managed to maintain a consistent level of water throughout their fields, which resulted in regular and consistent harvests. These people still had to rely on natural resources. Today, machinery has been developed that further facilitates the irrigation of land.
Today there are many methods of irrigation such as sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation and other more inventive methods. Sprinkler irrigation does as the name suggests, often irrigating large areas using only one high-powered sprinkler. The device sprays a jet of water of the land, and moves around to ensure the water is evenly distributed. Drip irrigation is an effective method of irrigation that involves piping systems being put in place, and regular drops of water being released into the soil at the root level of the plants. This is very efficient, as it targets the roots of the plant and wastes as little water as possible.
These methods of irrigation do rely heavily on machinery. They are extremely effective and utilise modern technology to aid farming. But despite this, many farmers do work solely with methods that are derived from the farmers of ancient civilisations.