Best technology — the tools used by the professional irrigation industry
Best technology is the set of tools used by the professional irrigation industry that are crop, soil and budget appropriate. They include only professional-grade fertilizers, hybrid seeds, and low-volume drip and micro emitters.
Features
1Appropriate crop and soil specific drip and micro irrigation emission devices
2Fertilizer, chemical and supplement injection systems
3Hybrid seeds
Overview
The tendency of the development community is to provide second-best technology. Farmers in any setting, in the developed world or in the less developed world, cannot achieve sufficient yields without the most highly advanced tools of the irrigation industry. Those tools include: integrated systems that include pumps, filters, injectors; true emitter drip irrigation products including pressure-compensating devices, drippers with integrated check valves, drip irrigation thin wall for short seasons and drip irrigation des
igned for sub-surface installations for larger and more permanent crops; drip irrigation at proper spacing, flows and hydraulic parameters for crop and soil conditions; irrigation systems that are cost-effective, scaled appropriately; center pivot systems, micro-irrigation systems and overhead systems when and where appropriate; and nursery and greenhouse systems. A common and necessary characteristic of all systems is high water-use efficiency.
A commonly held misperception about climate-smart agriculture, in general, and climate-smart irrigation, in particular, is that the fixed and variable costs are too high for small and medium holders to afford. The experience of Amiran Kenya (the leading distributor for irrigation equipment in East Africa) provides evidence to the contrary. The initial cost of best-available technology is higher than the traditional "second-best" technology. However, the return-on-investment for best-available technology is typically one agricultural season. In addition, the equipment is provided at attractive, low-interest credit which belies the argument that high entry costs are prohibitive.
