What is the Purpose of Irrigation?

Water is artificially applied to the soil with the help of various tubes, pumps, and spraying systems . Irrigation is frequently used in regions with erratic rainfall, dry spells, or potential drought. Thus, it is a blessing for areas that receive less rainfall yearly as it makes farming more efficient.

How much area of India is under Irrigation?

Nearly 48.8% of India’s 140 million hectares (MHA) of agricultural land is in irrigated areas . Since many areas in India experience dry spells frequently and droughts, irrigation is the only way to grow crops in such areas. Hence, it is an essential process for a country that relies so heavily on agriculture.

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Is it Important to Increase the Area Under Irrigation? Why?

Q: Is it Important to Increase the Area Under Irrigation? Why?

Yes, it is important to increase the area under irrigation because 58 per cent of India’s population depends on agriculture for their income . Moreover, since many states and places in India get scarce rains, irrigation is the only way the crops can get the water they need to grow.

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

It is important to increase the area under irrigation because, for more than 58 percent of India’s population, agriculture is their primary source of income. India is the second largest producer of agricultural commodities in the world. In 2018, more than half of India’s workforce was employed in agriculture, contributing 17-18% of the GDP. This post will discuss the importance of increasing the area under irrigation.

Table of content

1. Importance of Increasing the Area Under Irrigation

Importance of Increasing the Area Under Irrigation

Irrigation is the science of artificially providing water to land so that crops can get the water they need to produce enough food for a lifetime. Groundwater, well-based irrigation systems, tanks, and other rain-collecting structures that makeup India’s irrigation system are all connected by large, small canals that drain Indian rivers. The groundwater system is the largest of these.

It is important to expand the irrigated area as the water is important for agriculture.
In India, where rainfall is unevenly distributed, less rainfall will result in lower yields and allow farmers to cultivate only one crop per season.
With a proper irrigation system, multiple cropping will be possible, which will help in increasing the production per hectare.

Methods of Irrigation:

Here are a few modern irrigation methods adopted for agriculture today.

Drip Irrigation – This type of micro-irrigation method can save water and nutrients by slowly releasing the water to the roots of the crops. This method distributes water through a network of pipes, valves, tubes, etc.

Sprinkler Irrigation – This method of distributing water to plants is closer to actual rainfall. This is because it involves water being distributed through a system of pipes sprayed through rotating sprinklers. The main advantage of this method is that it is affordable and easy to set up for farmers.

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Is it Important to Increase the Area Under Irrigation? Why?

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