Traditional Methods of Irrigation in Agriculture

Over many millennia, India has been an agricultural country. Statistics suggest that more than 50% of the combined workforce is engaged in some form of agriculture. India is also one of the leading exporters of cereals, grains and dry fruits to several countries.

Despite these advantages, India has often faced hurdles in the form of low crop yield, untimely harvests, unpredictable monsoons and pest attacks. Most of these problems have been largely overcome by traditional methods of Irrigation. 

These old Irrigation methods are not yet obsolete. Vast chunks of India’s farms use these methods to ensure proper seed germination, the better yield of crops and accelerated growth of food crops.

These conventional methods of Irrigation also waste less water and are environment-friendly. 

What is the Traditional Method of Irrigation?

Such a method has been in use for many decades, sometimes even centuries, and offers cost-effectiveness and convenience over more modern methods.

In India, There are Four Traditional Methods of Irrigation

• Check Basin Method

This method depends on water availability. The farming land is divided into a number of basins, each of which is connected via a mini-drain. Water is stored at the highest point of the land. From there, these drains originate. This form of traditional Irrigation has been around for centuries.

Check basin Irrigation is used mostly after monsoons when the basin is full. This type of inexpensive Irrigation also requires minimal maintenance or investment. Plus, it also guards against soil erosion.

Find out why soil erosion is so dangerous. You can also write short notes on such erosion and show them to your friends and teachers. 

• Strip Irrigation method

Here, the farmland is divided into a number of strips. Such strips are separated by a ‘med’, which means a boundary. The length of each strip depends on the land’s angle of slope plus the location of the reservoir. Such a method requires minimal investment and labour.

Note that strip Irrigation may not be compatible with all manners of crops. 

• Furrow Irrigation

Whenever crops are grown in rows, furrow Irrigation comes in handy. It is often used in horticulture. This type can also lead to better Irrigation of larger tracts of land. Agriculturists have stated that despite newer technologies like drip and sprinkler systems, furrow Irrigation remains the best bet among both traditional and modern methods of Irrigation.

This type has multiple sub-types including corrugated, contour and sloppy furrow. Each of these sub-types is specialized for certain kinds of crops or land types.

• Basin Irrigation 

This method of traditional Irrigation is not used for growing crops. Instead, it is used to irrigate rows of bushes and taller trees. A raised platform, usually made of clay or concrete, is created very close to where these trees are. Drains are then dug so that they can receive water.

The use of basin Irrigation is on the decline since there have been reports of too much water loss while irrigating smaller tracts.

What Are Some Types of Modern Irrigation?

In India, sprinkler, pot and drip Irrigation methods are rapidly being used to save resources while also ensuring a steady supply of water to arable land. While sprinkler systems originated in Western countries where groundwater levels were low, it has subsequently spread across the world due to its efficiency.

DIY task for advanced students: You can determine which of these traditional Irrigation methods consume or waste the maximum water. It is quite simple. Visit the official website of the Central Ministry of Agriculture; you will get detailed reports on how many hectares of land is currently under cultivation, and other related data including Irrigation method use.

This data will also help you create first-class traditional methods of Irrigation PPT. 

What is the importance of Irrigation?

Irrigation is a necessary process for agriculture and farming. This is because as we know, the country's farmlands do not receive monsoon throughout the year. But plants require water during non-rainy seasons as well. Thus Irrigation helps to supply adequate water for their growth and sustenance.

Secondly, it facilitates farming practices in drought-prone regions of the country such as Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat (Kutch and Bhuj), etc. It also helps farmers in the colder northern regions such as Jammu as there is inadequate water supply (most of the water is in the form of glaciers).

Thirdly, a good and sustained supply of water throughout the year helps to maintain soil fertility and makes ploughing of the land easier.

Lastly, as we all know, with the growing population, India needs a high crop yield to sustain the needs of the people. Coupled with the green revolution, Irrigation serves this major purpose of farming in India.

In recent decades,  governments have shifted their focus from building Irrigation dams to repairing the existing traditional Irrigation systems.  In relation to this,  a  scheme on  ‘Repair, Renovation and Restoration of water bodies for agriculture was launched in 2005 with the objective to improve and restore the selected tanks in 26 districts of 15  States. This is important because most of the traditional Irrigation systems have lost applicability due to being out of use and/ or lack of maintenance. The small rural farmers heavily rely on these systems and hence rebuilding them can help marginal farmers who can not afford modern equipment.

A comprehensive list of various Irrigation systems in various parts of India that have been in use traditionally

Irrigation techniques in India has been as diverse as the farming methods. In different parts of India, from north to south and east to west, the various traditional Irrigation methods are mentioned below:

To know more on aspects of Irrigation, visit Vedantu today. Download the Vedantu app to gain insights on topics allied to agriculture or any other chapter of Biology. You can also join live classes right away.