WHAT IS IRRIGATION ? DEFINING IRRIGATION In general, irrigation is the application of water to soil. In agriculture, irrigation is the application of water by means of ditches and pipes to plant roots to assist in crop production and sustain plant life. It also plays a role in protecting crops from frost. The purpose of irrigation is to provide water to cropfilled land, and the goal of irrigation is to make land fertile and lush. In agricultural irrigation, the focus is on profitability, meaning a focus on energy optimisation and better use of water resources. Modern agriculture requires we understand past practices, today’s water and energy issues, and develop- ments in pump technology. We must then optimise uniformity, reduce energy use and safeguard water resources. A BRIEF HISTORY Agricultural irrigation is an art that is continuously evolving. Practices are always being refined and new methods developed to increase crop yield. Where precisely irrigation first began is in question and some believe that the Sumerians of Mesopotamia invented agricultural irrigation in 8000 BC. Their main water source was the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The land near the rivers was too salty to sustain plant life and they built canals from the two rivers to bring water to land that was less salty, allowing them to grow their crops. Others believe that in 5000 BC the Egyptians were the first to irrigate land. They created an irrigation system that stemmed from the Nile River. The next great irrigation achievement happened about 3000 years ago in the Persian Empire, when the Kareze irrigation system, the earliest form of the aqueduct system, was created. Some of the other farming methods used at that time were Shadoofs, Persian Wheels, and dams. Variations of these methods are still being used today. In the 1700’s the European agricultural revolution took place. People began to experiment with agriculture in order to develop new crop rotations, improve livestock breeding, invent seed drilling, experiment with fertilisers, design new machinery, and introduce new crops. As a result, productivity of the land icreased while the need for labor decreased. The amount of food supply grew sufficiently to keep up with the growing population and urbanisation that was taking place at that time. VARIATIONS OF OLD IRRIGATION METHODS ARE STILL BEING USED TODAY The Persian wheel Archimedes’ screw Shadoof irrigation system
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