Innovative new irrigation water management tools enhances production efficiency

Abstract

IRRIGATION The level of subsidisation of agriculture in South Africa is one of the lowest in the world compared to other countries. Indirect government support to commercial farmers, such as through publicly-funded research and extension, has moreover declined in recent years. This means that South African farmers, like those in other developing countries, face greater challenges to raise the efficiency of their operations, which they must do if they – and the economies of their respective countries – are to prosper against the backdrop of a globalised market. Water management, mainly in respect of irrigation practice, is one of the most critical determinants of economically efficient crop production, particularly in a seasonally dry country like South Africa. It is for this reason that the development of an integrated computerised information system for the management of irrigation water – at field, farm and irrigation scheme level – has been undertaken under the leadership of South Africa’s Water Research Commission (WRC).

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