Sprinkler irrigation
Topic: Water Resources of India: Availability, Use and Conservation · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 1 "The Story of Indian Farming"
Meaning
Sprinkler irrigation sprays water over crops like artificial rain. Water is pushed through pipes under pressure and comes out of rotating nozzles. Because no channels are needed, it works well on uneven land and on sandy soils, where water would quickly sink away if it flowed along the ground. It uses much less water than flooding a field. It is one of the two main types of micro-irrigation.
Example
Farmers in the sandy, dry parts of Rajasthan and Haryana use sprinklers widely to water crops with scarce groundwater.
Don't confuse with
- Drip irrigation: water drips slowly from emitters straight onto the roots. It saves even more water (about 40-70%) and suits orchards, sugarcane and cotton. Sprinklers wet the whole crop from above.
Related concepts
- Sectoral water use
- Need for irrigation in India
- Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
- Drip irrigation
- Micro-irrigation
- Virtual water