IRRIGATION

Irrigation is a technique of applying water artificially to the soil. Water losses

during irrigations mostly depend on method of irrigation and network used in water

conveyance and delivery. Surface irrigation has the highest water loss and sprinkler

irrigation has much lower water loss than surface irrigation methods. Furthermore, drip

irrigation has the least water loss.

In designing an irrigation system expected to serve a certain area for 50 years, a

decision will have to be made at the very outset whether the subject area is suitable for

organic agriculture or for production under other standards and the irrigation system

(open or pressurized) and method (sprinkler or localized) and the water source should

be selected according to this method. The use of pressurized irrigation methods and

fresh water sources should be particularly emphasized especially in organic farming.

The irrigation potential of the COMCEC Member Countries is slightly higher

than 100 million ha. According to country group evaluation, the Asian Group countries,

have the highest irrigation potential (80 million ha). On the other hand, both Arab and

African Group countries, show very low irrigation potentials (Annex 8).

The potential for irrigation in LDC countries is approximately half of the

COMCEC countries (45 million ha). Irrigation potential in the COMCEC Member

Countries is one fifth of the world’s irrigation potential (500 million ha).

Areas irrigated by surface irrigation methods in the COMCEC Member

Countries are slightly above 60 million ha. Asian Group countries have a higher area

under surface irrigation compared to the rest (54 million ha). Surface irrigation, in both

Arab and African Group countries is very low. Surface irrigated areas in the LDC,

OECD and DEV Countries are quite low compared to the OIC countries (the highest in

OECD countries with 11 million ha). The total amount of surface irrigated area in

COMCEC Member Countries is about a quarter of the world’s (230 million ha) surface

irrigation areas (Figure 9.1).