Can small-scale farmers reap the benefits of precision irrigation? Absolutely yes! says Zambia-based agricultural engineer and Netafim technical advisor Nambwale Kalunga.
Input costs are through the roof, financing is hard to come by and, just like water, electricity seems to be becoming a scarce resource. The pressures on Mzansi’s farmers might let them assume that precision irrigation solutions are unaffordable right now.
But these pressures are exactly why precision irrigation makes sense, says Nambwale Kalunga, a qualified agricultural engineer and technical advisor for Netafim in Zambia.
The company’s whole philosophy is to help farmers grow more with less, after all.
Kalunga has seen innovative plans that farmers with limited resources can make. This includes finding ways to irrigate their crops with optimal efficiency.
As precision irrigation means that farmers can deliver precise amounts of water and nutrients to the root-zone of each plant, this doesn’t only solve a water problem for them, but a host of other common challenges as well.
“With our drip irrigation solution, for instance, required weed control will be drastically reduced, water application will be precise, it will effectively discharge your nutrients in the root zone, and crop yield and quality will increase,” he says. All this, while requiring less labour and becoming less dependent on the weather.
The cost of a new system
Naturally, there’s always money involved in installing new technology on your farm. “But we can work around the dilemma of spending money to save money,” says Kalunga. Small-scale farmers don’t necessarily have to opt for the top-tier systems to reap the benefits of precision irrigation.
Firstly, it’s important to remember that everything works on a sliding scale. The smaller the area that needs irrigation and the more basic the irrigation needs, the lower the cost of installing a precision irrigation system will be.
Secondly, Netafim has a system specifically developed for small-scale and subsistence farmers. NetaKit™ is a unique, gravity-based drip irrigation system that requires little to no electricity. The FDS or Family Drip System is suitable for plots ranging from 100 m² to 1 000 m² and DripK for plots ranging from 1 600 m² to 9 600 m².
There’s also the expert effect: Netafim’s agronomists and technical advisors have access to a full range of irrigation solutions and decades of experience in identifying, selecting, and refining the best systems for farmers in different circumstances. It’s a team with the know-how to fit the right system to every farmer’s specific needs, resources, and budget.
In the end, Kalunga emphasises, the biggest benefit lies in optimal yields and savings that will add up in the long run.
No electricity? No problem
For farmers who cannot or don’t want to install grid-tied irrigation, solar-powered irrigation systems are an obvious solution and can be scheduled to run in the sunny hours of the day. Furthermore, NetaKit™ is an option that needs even less energy. It is a gravity-based system that only requires a slope or a water storage tank that is elevated to at least 1 m above the ground level.
If the original water source is higher than the farmer’s field, no energy would be necessary at all. If the water needs to be pumped from a lower-lying water source, a generator can run briefly to fill up a storage tank. “Even then, we can guide you on the size of the tank,” says Kalunga to emphasise the precise resource efficiency Netafim always keeps in mind.
What’s more, is that the NetaKit™ is a complete and easy-to-install kit with all the necessary components included.
Expert advice at your fingertips
To assist farmers even further, Netafim places a lot of focus on sharing knowledge. Netafim has developed a free online information hub, the Precision Irrigation Academy, where farmers can find the answers to their most pressing questions. The topics of the tutorial videos include everything from product-specific maintenance to irrigating in different soil types and accurately checking for soil moisture.
On the company’s website, farmers can familiarise themselves with the company’s different products and solutions, find a vast range of crop knowledge, and discover the stories of clients from across the globe who have seen the benefits of precision irrigation first-hand.
In the end, says Kalunga, it’s about the Netafim team knowing that many farmers’ resources are stretched to the limit, but still being able to make a positive impact. “If you come to us, we will ask the right questions to help you grow more with less.”
• To hear an interview with Kalunga on embracing precision irrigation despite limited resources, listen to the latest episode of Farmer’s Inside Track. For more information on Netafim South Africa, click here.
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ALSO READ: Farmers, we need to grow more with less
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