Productive irrigation
Topic: Land Use, Farming Systems and Cropping Seasons in India · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 3 "Land Resources and Agriculture"
Meaning
Productive irrigation gives crops enough water all through the growing season to get high yields. Its aim is to get the most output from each field. So it uses more water per hectare than protective irrigation. It is closely linked to high-yielding varieties, which need assured water to grow well.
Example
In Green Revolution Punjab, canals and tubewells give paddy and wheat plenty of water, which brings very high yields. The cost has been heavy use of groundwater.
Don't confuse with
- Protective irrigation: spreads limited water over the widest possible area, only to save crops from drought. Productive irrigation puts more water on less land to raise yields.