Drip Irrigation: A New Way Forward?

For farmers across the globe, a regular supply of irrigation is perhaps his most important concern. Nations often dispute the flow of down-stream water because of repercussions on their farmlands. Ironically, despite rise in global levels of food production, several millions of people still remain hungry. And part of the reason for this is the lack of resources – including irrigation to grow their own crop.

Drip irrigation provides a simple solution. Innovation in this space is fast growing, and could mean significant increase in output for poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and Latin America.  In their article, Drip Irrigation for Small Farmers: A New Initiative to Alleviate Hunger and Poverty, authors Sandra Postel, Paul Polak, Fernando Gonzales and Jack Keller describe their experience with affordable drip irrigation, including its use in India and Nepal. The authors advocate a global initiative to spread low-cost drip irrigation through private microenterprises, with the aim of reducing hunger and increasing incomes.

Read the original article here.