Not only is it a major consumer of ground and surface water, but poor irrigation management practices, combined with the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilisers, are being pointed out as the major culprit when it comes to the depletion and contamination of our water sources.
Considering the water crisis in South Africa and most of Africa, it is vitally important that over-irrigation, with its detrimental effects on the environment, be replaced by technical solutions that will help reduce water stress and assist in long-term water management.
One such solution is accurate irrigation scheduling, commonly known as precision irrigation, during which only the required amount of water is applied to crops, thus optimising economic returns on investment in land, equipment, inputs and labour.
FarmBiz asked three irrigation equipment suppliers to share their views regarding precision irrigation.
Senter 360
“We are serious about our responsibility to supply water accurately and evenly at the lowest possible cost to any crop, with our Senter 360 centre pivots,” says Theuns Dreyer, managing director of Senter 360.
Effective irrigation is no simple feat and equipment must be reliable and always in good working order. Senter 360 accurately controls the running speed with an electronic direct millimetre adjustable speed control unit.
The choice of a sprinkler package is one of the most important factors to consider, Theuns explains. The three international manufacturers of sprinkler systems for centre pivots all offer both cheaper and more expensive options. Senter 360 uses the two more expensive sprinklers, mainly because they offer certain advantages that are very important in precision irrigation:
This story is from the March 2020 edition of FarmBiz.
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This story is from the March 2020 edition of FarmBiz.
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