Irrigation

• The 3 different types of irrigation:

  • drip irrigation - letting water drop onto plants
  • sprinkler irrigation - spraying water through large sprinklers
  • furrow irrigation - ditches filled with water
• During the 20th century, the amount of irrigated land in the world doubled.
• An estimated 18 percent of the worlds cropland is now irrigated. This expansion has occurred mainly in Asia, Africa and South Africa.
• Disadvantages:

  • sprinklers waste a lot of water as most of it just evaporates
  • uneven distribution of water - some crops get more water than others
  • less water for drinking and hygiene
  • overwatering can cause the soil to erode