Improved irrigation planning a mouse click away

Abstract

Irrigation planning With some 60% of South Africa’s water use being in the agricultural sector it is important that water supply planners, irrigation scheme managers, system designers and irrigation farmers have access to reliable methods for estimating the irrigation requirements of crops. In the early years, guidance was provided by the so-called ‘Green Book’ titled Estimated Irrigation Requirements of Crops in South Africa, published in 1985. This publication became the accepted methodology for determining irrigation quotas. History of sAPWAt In 1992, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations published CROPWAT, a computer program to help agro-meteorologists, agronomists and irrigation engineers to carry out standard calculations for evapotranspiration and crop water use studies and, more specifically, the design and management of irrigation schemes. The program proved very simple to use, even by first-time computer users with little or no training.

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