Conduct of training on drip irrigation in Bgy. Songco.
News
Setting-up A Low Cost Drip Irrigation Assembly in the
Lantapan Vegetable-Agroforestry System (VAF)
|
Introducing Indigenous Vegetables in the
Agro-Forestry System - A Field Day at
Lantapan Watershed, Philippines
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In the field, the TMPEGS Team conducted trainings on
the setting-up and operation of the modified IDE drip
irrigation system in a farmer’s field in Barangay Songco
on May 25, 2007 and in the sitio of Kimanga, Barangay
Kibanggay, characterized by about 10 to 20% slope, on
September 22, 2007. About a total of 90 individuals
consisting of Lantapan farmers (majority of the
participants), local government agricultural technicians,
university staff, and TMPEGS collaborators participated
in the training program.
For better adoption, the SANREM- USAID- TMPEGS-
Philippines team designed a low cost drip irrigation
assembly adaptable in a vegetable-agroforestry
system characterized by sloping terrain using the
IDE (International Development Enterprises) drip
irrigation kits. The UPLB (University of the
Philippines Los Baños) team assessed the effect of
topography and operating heads on the emission of
uniformity distribution in drip irrigation systems.
Simulating the topographic profile of the place, the
team conducted a series of experiments at the
hydraulic laboratory facilities of the College of
Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology, UPLB.
A drum reservoir served as water supply for the IDE
drip system. A sub-main of 10 m and lateral-sub
holder of 20 m with adjustable slope was fabricated
to enable slope variations during laboratory
experiments. The drip system was operated at
pre-specified operating heads of 1 m, 2 m and 3 m
from the reservoir outlet for slopes of 0%, 10%,
20%, 30%, 40% and 50% for the sub-main and 0%
slope for the laterals. On the basis of the results,
appropriate recommendations were formulated to
minimize non-uniformity of water distribution under
field conditions in sloping drip-irrigated lands.
Low cost drip irrigation is a promising
tool to an agro-forestry system such
as that of the sloping Lantapan
watershed in Bukidnon, Philippines.
The place faces limiting water supply
during the dry season (DS) with
corresponding negative effect on
crop production. Adoption of low cost
drip irrigation system during the DS
may alleviate the farmers’ concern on
water scarcity. The system may
increase water use efficiency, reduce
labor requirements, improve the
quality, and yield of the crop.
< A farmer participant closely
examining the drip irrigation set-up.
< Experimental drip irrigation lay-out at UPLB.
Field demonstration of drip irrigation system in
between rows of bell pepper in Bgy. Kibanggay.
News report by
FC Faustino and VB Ella
Photos by
FC Faustino, MR Reyes, A Mercado Jr
