B3.2.

3 Irrigation techniques
Sprinkler irrigation
Uniform application by artificial rain
Good application efficiencies (0.7 0.8)
dependent on wind, temperature, humidity

Fairly terrain independent (but design must

take terrain into account)
Can have a low labour content
But
High(ish) investment cost
High maintenance cost due to pumping
Can be complex to run
1

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Criteria
(from Cornish)

Must permit cost recovery within one to two

years (and double investment in a short time)
Must be suitable for use on small and irregular
shaped plots
Must require only simple maintenance and
tools
Have a low risk of component failure
Be simple to operate
Be durable and reliable able to withstand
rough and frequent handling without serious
damage
2

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: System layout

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Drag hose system

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Sprinkler

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Spray pattern

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Spray pattern

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Spray pattern:
Variation in pressure

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Variation in pressure

10

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Solid set system

11

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Hand move laterals

12

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Hop along system

13

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Drag hose system

14

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Drag hose system

15

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Centre pivot system

16

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Centre pivot system

17

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Centre pivot system

18

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Centre pivot system

19

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Linear move system

20

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Linear move system

21

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Linear move system

22

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Mobile raingun

23

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Mobile raingun

24

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Appropriateness
Type

Divisibility

Maintenance

Risk

Operator
skill

Durability

Hand move

Drag Hose

Low-tech

Perforated pipe

Side roll

Side move

Static gun

Boom

Traveling gun

Centre Pivot

Liner move

Solid set

Piped distribution

4
25

B3.2.3 Irrigation techniques

Sprinkler irrigation: Appropriateness
Type

Score

Crops

Piped distribution

16

All

Low tech

16

All

Drag hose

15

All

Solid set

14

Orchards

Hand move laterals

12

All

Perforated pipe

11

Soft fruit and veg

Static gun

10

Cereals, Row crops

Side roll

Short cereals, row crops

Traveling gun

Cereals, Row crops

Boom

Cereals, Row crops

Centre pivot

Cereals, Row crops

Linear move

Cereals, Row crops

Side move

Cereals, Row crops

26

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation
Excellent efficiency (>0.9)
little and often - plants have ideal water all
the time
As little as 30% of the root zone is wetted

Not sensitive to slope

Good for mineralised water
Good for injected fertiliser
But
Very expensive
Needs well filtered water
Can be complex to operate ands maintain

27

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Improvements
Crop

Yield Increase (%)

Water saving (%)

Bananas

52

45

Grapes

23

48

Sweet lime

50

61

Pomegranate

98

45

Papaya

75

68

Tomato

50

39

Watermelon

88

36

Okra

16

40

60

Chillies

44

62

Sweet Potato

39

60

Beetroot

79

Radish

77

Sugar cane

33

56

Cotton

26

53

Cabbage

28

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Layout

29

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Drip irrigation

30

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Root zone

31

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Infiltration

Sandy soil

Clay soil
32

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Emitters

33

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Thick walled drip hose

34

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Thin walled drip hose

35

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Bubblers

36

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Microsprinklers

37

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Microsprinklers

38

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness
Type

Divisibility

Maintenance

Risk

Operator
skill

Durability

Drip emitters

Drip hose (thick)

Drip hose (thin)

Micro sprayers

Pressurised bubbler

Gravity fed bubbler

39

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness
Type

Score

Crops

Cost (USD
1990)

Piped distribution

16

All

800

Low tech Sprinkler

16

All

Pressurised bubbler

16

Orchard

Drag hose Sprinkler

15

All

Solid set Sprinkler

14

Orchards

Hand move laterals Sprinkler

12

All

Micro sprayers

12

Orchard, Soft fruit and

3,500

Gravity fed bubbler

12

Orchard

3,500

Perforated pipe Sprinkler

11

Soft fruit and vegetables

800

Static gun Sprinkler

10

Cereals, Row crops

950

3,000
675
3,500
675

Drip emitters

Wide row fruit and vegetables

3,500

Drip hose (thick)

Wide row fruit and vegetables

5,000

Drip hose (thin)

Wide row fruit and vegetables

3,000

Side roll Sprinkler

Short cereals, row crops

1,500

Traveling gun Sprinkler

Cereals, Row crops

1,500

Note: Skilled workers wages in Sri Lanka $4/day, Uganda, $2.5/day

40

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness:
Methods based on imported components
Manufactured drip emitters and
microsprayer assemblies are carefully
supervised and maintained.
Ancillary equipment such as screen
and media filters, metering valves,
pressure regulators and fertilizer
injectors are used in various
combinations.
Note: These options will be justified only for cash crops in a
stable market economy.
From Small-scale irrigation for arid zones; Principles and options:
http://www.fao.org/docrep/w3094e/w3094e00.htm

41

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness:
Methods based on imported materials but
local fabrication
Moulded plastic pipes or extruded plastic
tubing are perforated manually and laid
over the ground to simulate drip irrigation.
Vertical sections of plastic pipes (or even
discarded plastic containers such as
bottles) are embedded in the ground.
Thin-walled plastic vessels are filled with
sand or gravel to provide mechanical
resistance to crushing.
42

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness:
Methods based on imported materials but
local fabrication
Slit plastic sleeves cover the perforated
sections of the tubes to prevent root
penetration into the outlet holes.
Sand filters prevent suspended particles or
algae from clogging the outlets.
Auxiliary containers are used to dissolve and
inject fertilizer into the irrigation water.
Vertical standpipes are used to deliver water
from an underground pipe to small basins.
43

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness:
Methods based entirely on local materials
and workmanship
Low-fired porous ceramic pots are
placed on the surface or embedded in
the soil within the root zone. When
filled with water and dissolved
fertilizers, the permeable clay
receptacles ooze water and nutrients
into the soil.
Sectioned ceramic pipes constitute line
sources that feed elongated beds.
44

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Micro irrigation: Appropriateness: Clay
pot method

45

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Modern irrigation technologies:
Appropriateness
(from Cornish)

The technology must offer the farmer

sufficient financial return or a
reduction in labour demand, to justify
the investment
Farmers need to grow high value crops
for an assured market in order to
cover costs
Increasing national or regional water
shortage is an important factor
motivating governments to promote
the use of modern irrigation
technologies

46

B3.2.4 Irrigation techniques

Modern irrigation technologies:
Appropriateness
Governments must enact policies
promoting the technologies for the
smallholder, making it attractive to
manufacturers and dealers to develop
and promote them
Suitable systems must be relatively
cheap and straightforward to operate
and maintain
Farmers require effective technical
support in the initial years failure =
ruin
47