Image: Sprinkler Irrigation System.
Water is a key factor in increasing agricultural
production. About 78% of India's water resources are used for agriculture out
of this only 50% is actually used by plants and the remaining water resources
are wasted either as deep percolation or as evaporation. Excess irrigation not
only reduces crop production and damages soil fertility but also causes
ecological hazards like water logging and salinity. With competitive use of
water and its increasing scarcity, it has become imperative to economize water
use for optimum productivity. This is possible only through improved water
management and adopting techniques of irrigation. One such method of modern
irrigation is sprinkler irrigation system and is popular among the farmers
across the country.