The Punjab government is encouraging the drip irrigation to overcome water scarcity in the province. A spokesman of the provincial agriculture department said drip irrigation system is suitable for crop cultivation when irrigation water or rainwater is not enough for conventional farming.
This technology, so far, has been adopted by many farmers across Punjab owing to acute shortage of river water and limited rains. Keeping in view its high efficiency in conserving water, increasing per acre yield and reducing cost of cultivation, there is a need to create awareness among farmers about the drip irrigation system. With this technology, the farmers could save 60% electricity and diesel costs augmenting per acre yield by 100 percent. Government is helping farmers adopt this system by providing drip irrigation equipment at subsidized rates and providing 60% subsidy on installation of Drip irrigation system.
There is 40 percent to 50 percent saving of fertilizer if drip irrigation system is used. Currently, the system is used for small scale cultivation eg, 12.5 acre of land. However, other techniques and methods are underway to extend the program for large scale cultivation. Drip irrigation technology is being provided to farmers by government on subsidized cost with financial assistance from the World Bank.
Spokesman of the Agriculture Department further said that it is need of time to move towards modern resource conservation technologies such as drip irrigation to cope with the situation of water scarcity in upcoming years.
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