COIMBATORE: An Irrigation Water Calculator to enable farmers assess the requirement of water for crops, based on the location, crop geometry and the stage of crop growth was released at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University here on Thursday by its Vice-Chancellor P. Murugesa Bhoopathi.

Use

Operated with re-chargeable batteries, the gadget helped in saving 30 per cent to 40 per cent of the water that was usually wasted during irrigation. The university said that this was because of the equipment’s ability to arrive at the exact quantum of water required. Energy could be saved if irrigation requirements were streamlined.

The water calculator was developed by S. Raman, water management scientist and consultant to IWMI-Tata Water Policy Programme, a press release from the university said.

Speaking at the launch, the Vice-Chancellor pointed out that Tamil Nadu was one of the States where water was scarce. The ground water potential was already over-exploited. With the population rising and industrial use of water also on the rise, its availability for agriculture was expected to decrease from 85 per cent to 73 per cent by 2025.

Efficiency measures

Therefore, water use efficiency measures such as drip and sprinkler irrigation should be adopted.

The Vice-Chancellor added that in the last two decades, the Union and State Governments introduced various subsidy schemes to popularise drip and sprinkler irrigation in India.

As a result, between 1991 and 2009, the area under drip and sprinkler methods had increased to 4.3 million hectares. Out of the 4.3 million hectares, 1.1 million was achieved between 2006 and 2009.

Nearly 75 per cent of the area under drip irrigation was in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

Subsidy

The Tamil Nadu Government at present is giving 65 per cent subsidy for installing drip irrigation.

The Vice-Chancellor advised farmers to use this opportunity.

The Vice-Chancellor added that by the end of the Eleventh Five Year Plan period, the Union Government proposed to bring 12 million hectares under drip irrigation and five million hectares under sprinkler irrigation.

This was expected to save irrigation water of up to 58.6 billion cubic metres.

Mr. Raman explained the method of using the calculator for different crops and its benefits.

He also demonstrated the use of the calculator in the field for the farmers.

Courtesy - Hindu