1. Progressive technologies play a significant role in achieving water savings, better irrigation operation and maintenance, and gains in food production. Technologies can be categorized as off-farm, on-farm, and soft tools. 2. Off-farm technologies include canal lining, piped conveyance, flow measurement devices, and supervisory control systems. On-farm technologies include surface irrigation improvements, sprinklers, micro-irrigation, reservoirs, and drainage. 3. Soft tools include simulation models, benchmarking, remote sensing, and decision support systems to improve irrigation management, monitoring, and evaluation.

1. Er. M. Gopalakrishnan
Fellow of Indian National Academy of Engineering
Honorary Diplomate of American Academy of Water Resources Engineering
Formerly Secretary General ICID Formerly Secretary General ICID,
Ex‐President, IWRS; Ex‐ Member CWC ;

2. The Food Challenge: Enhancing
”Crops’ Drops” saving water?Crops Drops saving water?
 World Population growth– 6 to 8 billion in 2025 and 2050
I I di h i d d f 6 billi h  In India, to meet the growing demand for 1.6 billion to perhaps
even 1.8 billion people by 2050, water requirements wolud reach
higher levels; in fact doubling the present levels as per estimatesg g p p
 Macro level food needs ask for efficient management of large
and medium schemes for irrigated agriculture
f li i l h d d  7 out of 10 poor live in rural areas, where most depend on
rainfed, or minor irrigation with farming small‐holdings; for
them water shed and water management and adaptable small g p
scale solutions are required
 A major share in efficient water use has to come from irrigated
i lt f l ll di d i h agriculture of larger as well as medium and minor schemes:
progressive technologies alround,are the need of the hour.

3. The trend in Growth Rate in Irrigated Agriculture

4. World Irrigated Area World Irrigated Area –– Continental shares Continental shares

5. Growth of Irrigated Area in IndiaGrowth of Irrigated Area in India
Importance of an alround efforts in
adapting progressive technologies adapting progressive technologies
in Irrigation in India is obvious

6. Improved operation management and Improved operation, management and
maintenance (O M & M) of irrigation schemes
Improved on‐farm water managementImproved on farm water management
o Efficient irrigation methods
o Smart irrigation schedulingo Smart irrigation scheduling
o Agronomic measures
o Drainage water managemento Drainage water management
Higher the WUE more the water saving.
Progressive Technologies focus on this aspectProgressive Technologies focus on this aspect.

7. Storage
Where water saving is possible?
Consumptive use
Beneficial
Crop ETNon‐consumptive
Non‐beneficial
Non‐crop ET
Evaporation from
wet field surfaces
Non consumptive
Recoverable
Seepage
Leakage/spill
U h i d wet field surfaces•Unauthorized
withdrawals
Non‐recoverable
Flow to saline
On farm
Technologiesow to sa e
groundwater
Deep sinks
Application
Off Farm Technologies cover all except “on farm related”.

8. I d h l i d l l i ifi l Improved technologies and tools play a significant role
in achieving water savings, better operation and
maintenance, and overall gains in irrigation , g g
performance and thereby in food production.
Let us view more of these technologies categorised for convenience, Let us view more of these technologies categorised for convenience,
under the following grouping:
Off farm technologiesOff‐farm technologies
On‐farm technologies
Soft tools for OM &M and Evaluation

9. Technologies for flow measurement regulation Technologies for flow measurement, regulation,
operation, diversion and distribution of water; These
include, e.g.,
Canal lining using conventional as well as non‐
conventional technologies
Piped conveyance networks
Upstream/ downstream controls,p / ,
Modern flow measuring devices,
Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA),
Total Channel Control (TCC)

10. Turkey has changed Irrigation design policy from
traditional to modern system since 2003traditional to modern system since 2003.

11. Modern Control StructuresModern Control Structures
in Conveyance Networkin Conveyance Networkin Conveyance Networkin Conveyance Network

12. Australia
India
I t k d t t
South Africa
Intake and water gauge at
Zhanghe Irrigation System
(ZIS), China
UKUK

13. Supervisory controlSupervisory control
Coachella Valley Water Dist., USA
MUDA Irrigation Scheme, Malaysia

14. Water supplied at the field head is applied to crops Water supplied at the field head is applied to crops
through various methods. These include;
Modern methods in application of surface irrigationModern methods in application of surface irrigation,
Sprinklers of different types and nature, and
Micro irrigation application.

15. Surface irrigation Surface irrigation ––
Traditional Traditional visvis a a visvis modernmodern
Wild flooding Land Levelling
Border strips

16. Modern gravity/ surface irrigation systemModern gravity/ surface irrigation system
TroubleshootingTroubleshooting

17. On‐farm reservoirs/ Farm pondsOn farm reservoirs/ Farm ponds
China
IndiaIndia
UKUK

18. IranIran
Canada
Italy
18

19. Micro and sprinkler irrigation systemsp g y
for small holdings
Low-cost small scale
drip irrigation unit
Portable micro/ sprinkler irrigation units

20. Micro irrigation technology
has dramatically changed the wayhas dramatically changed the way
crops are irrigated in India

21. Subsurface drip irrigation for Sugarcane in Subsurface drip irrigation for Sugarcane in
South AfricaSouth Africa

22. million ha
Water saving:30% to 60%
Increase in yields: 20% to 50%
D i d il bili
Possible Reasons: The factors boosting Micro Irrigation
Decreasing groundwater availability
Liberal subsidy by the Central and State Governments (up to 70%)
Well developed pump and pipe industry,p p p p p y,
Strong manufacturing base,
Wide network of dealers/ system suppliers ( >150 manufacturers),
Govt. promoting horticulture in a big way

23. Portable Micro and sprinkler irrigation systems

24. Top 10 Irrigation TechnologiesTop 10 Irrigation Technologies
ICIDICIDICIDICID
 Farmer controlled water supply, or total channel control or downstream
control of canals
 Emitter delivery systems for precision irrigation and for undulating
terrain, not just through drip systems but also through centre pivots,
especially those that can be moved from centre to centre, and with
sweeps programmed to serve typical farm blocks
 Wetting front indicator
 Drain controllers, for their capability to improve control of soil moisture
and stimulate sub-irrigation
 Wetting-drying rice, (widespread application in China)g y g , ( p pp )
 No-till (NT) or minimum tillage technologies already used to conserve
erodible soils and nutrients, and save fuel, but which can also conserve
water in irrigated as well as rainfed productiong p

25. Top 10 Irrigation TechnologiesTop 10 Irrigation TechnologiesTop 10 Irrigation TechnologiesTop 10 Irrigation Technologies
ICIDICID …2…2
 Fresh-saline irrigation, where saline and brackish water is used for
part of the growing period without much loss of yield or detriment to
the soil structure
 Salt and drought tolerant food crops, perhaps used in conjunction
with 7, or independently, especially where irrigation is ephemeral or
only supplementary
 Remote sensing coupled with the Internet and mobile
communications to help the farmer with everything from establishing
land tenure to operational forecasting
 Drainage, an "old" technology but one which must not be forgotten to
improve and sustain production in rather more parts of the world than
irrigation on its own

26. Land drainage
W l d fi ld
Saline soil
Waterlogged field
SSD installationSSD installation

27. For those who would like to have a feel of these award winning
i h l i d I i d ib d i sprogressive technologies and Innovations, as described in a
Statement in the Paper in Page Table 1 in Page 11, a run through
of the slides beneath might be helpful

28. First Page
Paddy cultivation in Egypt by Strip method
First Page
Transplanting 20 days after transplanting 90 days after transplanting
WUE (kg/cum); Traditional method; 0.6; Strip method: 1
WUE (Kg/ cum)
T di i l Traditional : 0.2
Furrow method: 0.4
Paddy cultivation on beds and furrows in Pakistan

30. Center pivot irrigating Rice crop in Brazil
Water Usage
600
800
1000
1200
Used(mm)
0
200
400
Surface
Irrigation
Pivot
Irrigation
WaterU
30

32. Higher outlet
Lower outletField drain
Root zone
Field drain
Level 2
Level 1
Groundwater
Capillary fringe
Drain
Controlled Drainage

33. Use of wastewater for irrigationUse of wastewater for irrigation
Wastewater ~
Use of wastewater for irrigationUse of wastewater for irrigation
500 million m3 WW/year
50% treated to secondary level
30% treated to tertiary level
4% discharged via cesspits
16% inadequately treated
Mix junction using effluent and saline water.

34. Computerized water management system
used on 142,000 ha,
water savings = 10 ‐ 20%
Date and time flow
data collected fromdata collected from
• chart recorders
• electronic loggers
Data can be
• captured
• ImportedImported
• digitized

36. Irrigation scheduling usingIrrigation scheduling using
‘M C i ’ i S th Af i‘M C i ’ i S th Af i‘My Canesim’ in South Africa‘My Canesim’ in South Africa

37. Wetting front detector

38. ControlledControlled alternatealternate partialpartial rootzonerootzone irrigation (CAPRI)irrigation (CAPRI)
Cotton crop
Valve used for CAPRI
Cotton crop

39. Irrigation Scheduling
o when to irrigate & how much to apply?o when to irrigate & how much to apply?
o soil, plant, weather‐based methods
o not commonly used by farmers
Tensiometer
WaterMark Sensor
Evaporation Pan
Infrared Thermometer
p
WaterMark Sensor
39
Neutron probe
WaterMark Sensor

40. Computerized water management systemFl i t ti Computerized water management system
Used on 142,000 ha,
Water savings = 10 ‐ 20%
Flow measuring station

41. Capacity building and awareness creation
f f dTraining of women farmers in India
Training of farmers in Cambodia
Irrigation Department Staff in India
Promoting Participatory Irrigation
Management through Folk Songs

43. Saving fresh water for irrigated agriculture
by reuse of waterby reuse of water

44. Use of wastewater for irrigation in IsraelUse of wastewater for irrigation in Israel
Wastewater ~
500 million m3 WW/year
% t t d t d l l50% treated to secondary level
30% treated to tertiary level
4% discharged via cesspits
6% i d t l t t d 16% inadequately treated
Mix junction using effluent and saline water.

46. Soft tools/ models/ decision support system (DSS) have been / / pp y ( )
developed for improved operation, maintenance, monitoring and
evaluation of irrigation systems
oCanal operation simulation modelsoCanal operation simulation models
oFAO’ RAP And MASSCOTE,
( )oBenchmarking of irrigation schemes ( FAO‐IWMI‐ ICID),
oInternet based irrigation scheduling
oSatellite remote sensing and GIS for assessing irrigated area,
extent of water‐logging, crop water productivity, etc.,
oParticipatory irrigation management (IMT/PIM)

47. FAO’s MASSCOTE
Discussion with canal operators,
W/S at Bhadra irrigation scheme,
Karnataka India
Schematic framework
of MASSCOTE Karnataka, India
( Source: T.Facon)
of MASSCOTE
(Source: FAO)

48. Stages of the Benchmarking Process
(1)Identification &
Planning
(8)Verification &
Monitoring
(3)Calculation &
Interpretation(7)Action
(4)Comparisons &
Id tifi ti f BP
(6)Integration &
D i i ki Identification of BP
(5)Analysis
Decision making
( ) y

49. Developing appropriate/ affordable technologyDeveloping appropriate/ affordable technology,
Effective dissemination of available technologies among
d firrigation managers and farmers,
Effective financing system for purchase of equipments
and tools by small holder and resource poor farmers,
Strengthening the national irrigation extension / advisory
services

50. Capacity building of local institutions,
Revamping of irrigation agenciesp g g g
Increased investment by public and private sectors,
 Affordable technology for use of wastewater in peri Affordable technology for use of wastewater in peri‐
urban agriculture
C i l d d h f Creating Knowledge Base and Exchange of
information