"Irrigation is the watering of crops by artificial means. Humans have been irrigating crops for thousands of years. Early examples of irrigation societies include those of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. In Mesopotamia (in what is now Iraq and part of Iran), irrigation has been used for at least 6000 years."
Example of early irrigation - Mesopotamia:
Irrigation today:
Today, irrigation is used around the world. About 68% of the land used for irrigation is found in Asia, 17% in North America, 9% in Europe, 5% in Africa and 1% in Oceania (Australia, New Zealand). The most intensively irrigated land is found:
Today, irrigation is used around the world. About 68% of the land used for irrigation is found in Asia, 17% in North America, 9% in Europe, 5% in Africa and 1% in Oceania (Australia, New Zealand). The most intensively irrigated land is found:
- in North India and Pakistan, along the Ganges and Indus rivers
- in the Hai He, Huang He (Yellow) and Chang Jiang (Yangzi) basins in China
- along the Nile River in Egypt and Sudan
- in the Mississippi-Missouri river basin and parts of California, in the United States of America.
Developing Countries:
Many of the world's poor farmers use small-scale and low-cost traditional forms of irrigation. For example, millions of farmers in low-lying Bangladesh, where the water table is close to the surface, use human-powered pumps to bring groundwater up to the earth's surface and into irrigation ditches. These simple devices are cheap, easy to build and operate on muscle power (no running costs).
Other types of irrigation and water-saving strategies means farmers in the developing world can grow more food and climb out of poverty. These strategies include:
Many of the world's poor farmers use small-scale and low-cost traditional forms of irrigation. For example, millions of farmers in low-lying Bangladesh, where the water table is close to the surface, use human-powered pumps to bring groundwater up to the earth's surface and into irrigation ditches. These simple devices are cheap, easy to build and operate on muscle power (no running costs).
Other types of irrigation and water-saving strategies means farmers in the developing world can grow more food and climb out of poverty. These strategies include:
- Capturing and storing rainwater
- Planting deep rooted crops
- Controlling weeds
- Using mulch to reduce evaporation
Wastage: