Specialist Prescribes Irrigation Systems Designs

Associate Professor,
Agric-Engineering Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,Dr Mohammed Othman, has recommended simplicity in designing irrigation systems to meet farmers’ needs for easy maintenance by indigenous operators.
Othman, who was speaking on the methods of improving irrigation services across the country, made this known in an interview  last Monday in Abuja.
He explained that both agronomy and water mechanisms should be duly considered and consulted for the citing and construction of irrigation facilities to enhance effective crop output.
“Agronomy has to do with the plant, the type of plant and its characteristic. Is it a water-loving crop or a drought-tolerant crop? These are the two extremes.
“You also have to consider the stages of the crops you plan to irrigate, how long the crop will take to yield; and is it an arable crop or an orchard that can take many years,’’ the don explained.
According to him, in the area of water, the location, cost and method of bringing out the water should be taken into consideration.
“Is it through pumping or is the water going to be flowing by gravity, that is using the gravitational force of allowing the water to move underground?
“All these are what we call engineering and we need to put them in place to deliver the water, taking it to the soil; that is both water engineering and agronomy,’’ he stated.