Since the ancient farmer began to occupy the tropical regions of the globe and develop agriculture there, irrigation has become merely a supplement to periods of no rainfall. In other words, water only becomes a concern during periods when it is scarce.
With this concept, two aspects were created that began to develop separately, irrigated agriculture and rain-fed agriculture. Each develops with its own techniques and special moments.
However, due to increasingly frequent climate fluctuations and the need to increase the efficiency of agricultural production, the two previously separate regions began to combine their efforts, gradually increasing the country’s irrigated area.
This development is increasingly present in Brazilian factors of production. Previously, what was taboo is now practically present in all technical discussions, and even studies are being carried out to show the great potential of the country’s irrigable areas.
Unlike rain, which can turn dry soil into wet soil within a few hours, without control on the part of the producer and suddenly, any irrigation system chosen must go through a minimum of planning for its use. The right time to do this planning is now, during the rainy season.
The Brazilian product is usually reactive and immediate, that is, it waits for the problem and then corrects it, and this characteristic often prevents it from alleviating a problem that is likely to repeat itself: dryness.
Good irrigation doesn’t start as soon as you press the “on” button, it starts much earlier when you plan. Planning is not just about deciding whether to irrigate or not, it means defining the area to be irrigated, setting irrigation goals, managing the structure, and last – but not least – getting a suitable irrigation system.
With this information in hand, business negotiations, installation, and finally system compression begin. Having an “irrigation conscience” is not just about providing water to the crop; That would be “wetting.” It is essential to understand that water is a production input, and as such, it is necessary to plan its use, knowing how much and when to use it, with technical standards.
Daniel Pedroso – Senior Agricultural Specialist at Netafim Brasil
