Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has assured that the country has sufficient food to feed every Kenyan.
Speaking during the marking of world food day on November 8 at Mama Sarah Boit Kapsuswa Farm in Sugoi Location, Turbo Sub County, Uasin Gishu County, Bett said no Kenyan has died of hunger this year saying with the ongoing harvesting season across the country, there is enough food.
The CS further said the government will help farmers in drying their cereals especially during this rainy season and asked investors to help set up dryers that will help small scale farmers dry their produce.
Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago on his part hailed the government for supplying sufficient subsidized fertilizer to farmers during this year's planting season saying they expect the same next year. Mandago also called for the waiving of over sh1.7 billion that farmers owe the Agricultural Finance Cooperation (AFC).
He also called for the increase of maize prices to sh3,500 per 90kg bag of maize.
"Farmers go through a lot of challenges ranging from pests, climate change and the government should take the challenges seriously and allocate more funds to the agriculture sector," Mandago noted
Dairy farming as a business has the potential to change your life in several ways. Firstly, it can provide a stable source of income for you and your family. As demand for dairy products continues to rise, there is a growing market for high-quality milk and dairy products. This means that with the right management, your dairy farm can provide a consistent and reliable source of income.
Moreover, dairy farming can also offer a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Working with animals and producing a vital source of food for the community can be a rewarding experience. Additionally, dairy farming can be a sustainable and environmentally friendly business if managed properly. This can contribute positively to your community and even the planet at large.
Lastly, dairy farming can be a family business that brings your loved ones together. It can provide an opportunity for you to work alongside your family members, pass on valuable skills and knowledge, and create a legacy that can be passed down to future generations.
In summary, dairy farming as a business can change your life in many positive ways, including financial stability, a sense of fulfillment, sustainability, and family bonding.
How To Get Started on Dairy Farming
Dairy farming in Kenya is a lucrative business opportunity that is attracting many people to venture into it. However, before investing your hard-earned cash, there are some crucial things that you need to consider. Here is a checklist of the most important things to think about:
Capital For Dairy Farming
Dairy farming is capital-intensive, and you need to determine how much money you need to invest in the business. Consider the source of your capital and how quickly you can access it. You will need to build structures for housing the animals and purchase equipment, and these expenses cannot be easily avoided. Develop a plan for the final farm setup, taking into account the expected running capacity.
Land For Dairy Farming
The size, location, and potential of your land will determine the type and size of investment you can set up. You need enough space to house the animals, grow fodder, and dispose of waste.
Market Research on Dairy Farming
Do a market survey and decide on your target buyers. Also, decide whether to focus on the milk or heifer market, or both. You should choose options that maximize your returns to ensure that your business is solvent.
Ecological Zone For Dairy FArming
The ecological location of your farm will determine the type of fodder and animals that do well in that area. Exotic dairy breeds require a cool environment, while crosses of these breeds with local ones like Sahiwal may withstand some level of harsh conditions. In arid and semi-arid regions, look for local breeds like Sahiwal or their first cross with exotic breeds.
Production System and Management
Choose a production system that fits the resources available and your level of management. Intensive production systems are best for efficient utilization of resources, where animals are enclosed, and the land is set aside for fodder production.
Milking Time!
Regulations on Dairy Farming
Consider the rules and regulations that govern the establishment of a dairy investment. Think of waste disposal mechanisms and environmental pollution, especially on waterways, sound, and air.
Labor
Management and costing of labor remain a mystery to many farmers. Consider the type of work and the form of labor required. Have permanent employees for duties that run across the year and casuals for seasonal work. Remember that some services are cheaper when outsourced. Proper choice of labor will increase your savings, relieving unnecessary stress.
Water
Water is required for animals to drink, cleaning equipment, the dairy unit, and growing fodder. A dairy cow will drink between 40 to 80 liters of water per day.
Breed
Decide on the breed and grade of animals to start with, considering the level of management to be adapted. For beginners, consider starting with second or third dairy crosses rather than high-bred animals. Adapt a breeding program that will improve the next generation of animals.
Source of Breeding Stock
Select from the existing herd and upgrade with time. The rule of thumb when outsourcing breeding stock is “never buy animals from herds that are managed beyond your potential, such animals will always disappoint you.” Check the animal’s pedigree, production and health records, and the dam’s production record if any. At times you may require a professional to inspect the animal.
Feeds Production and Conservation
Feeding comprises the highest cost in confined herds and the cheapest in free grazed systems with little supplementation. Always adapt to economical and efficient feeding production and utilization programs. Reduce the cost of feeds by growing your own. If land is small, consider renting to grow fodder. Buy fodder at the harvesting season and put in place conservation measures like silage and hay making.
Feeding the Animals
Chop feeds to reduce wastage and make it easy for the cow to handle. Soak feeds with molasses mixed with water overnight to make them soft. Soaking feeds with molasses mixed with water overnight is a common practice to make them soft and palatable for cows. This helps to improve the digestibility of the feeds, which in turn can increase milk production. However, it is important to avoid over-soaking, as this can lead to spoilage and a decrease in nutritional quality.
Benefits of Soaking Feeds with Molasses
Soaking feeds with molasses mixed with water overnight can provide several benefits for cows, including:
Improved digestibility: Soaking feeds can break down the tough fibers and make them easier to digest. This can increase the absorption of nutrients and improve the cow's overall health.
Increased palatability: Soaking feeds can make them softer and more palatable, which can encourage cows to eat more and improve feed intake.
Reduced wastage: Soaking feeds can reduce the amount of feed that is wasted, as it makes it easier for cows to handle and digest.
How to Soak Feeds with Molasses
To soak feeds with molasses, follow these steps:
Mix one part molasses with three parts water in a large container.
Add the feeds to the container and mix well.
Cover the container and let it sit overnight.
Drain the excess liquid before feeding the soaked feeds to the cows.
Tips for Avoiding Over-Soaking
Over-soaking feeds can lead to spoilage and a decrease in nutritional quality. To avoid this, follow these tips:
Do not soak feeds for more than 24 hours.
Use clean water and containers to avoid contamination.
Do not add too much molasses, as this can make the feeds too sweet and lead to overconsumption.
Keep an eye on the feeds during soaking to ensure they do not become too mushy or slimy.
Conclusion
Soaking feeds with molasses can provide several benefits for cows, including improved digestibility, increased palatability, and reduced wastage. By following the proper steps and avoiding over-soaking, you can ensure that your cows receive the maximum nutritional benefit from their feeds.
Solar Powered Water Pumps have always been out of reach to small scale farmers in Kenya. The cost of solar pumps in Kenya in Kenya usually range above Ksh 100,000 a figure many small scale farmers in Kenya can barely afford. However, thanks to innovations in technology, Graduate Farmer has launched a new affordable solar pump called the GF1 Solar Pump Kit that is geared to empower young farmers in Kenya save and make profit in farming. The complete pump kit is cost at only Ksh 35,000.
Farming is never an easy job as most Kenyans may think from the agribusiness success stories read on the media. There are a lot of challenges that surround farming that can make anyone, even those who have enough capital to quit. Many factors are involved in the success of every farmer you see and the most important of them all is access to water!
A typical solar powered pumping system consists of a solar panel array that powers an electric motor, which in turn powers a bore or surface pump. The water is often pumped from the ground or stream into a storage tank that provides a gravity feed, so energy storage is not needed for these systems. Solar powered pumping systems are a cost-effective alternative to agricultural wind turbines for remote area water supply.
About the GF1 Solar Pump Kit
GF1 Submersible Solar Pump is a 12v DC pump which helps solve your remote farm pumping requirements. The pump has a lift of 100m and can pump 720 LPH under continuous flow. It is rugged, durable and long service life. Its unique waterproof power connector can prevent water wicking and prevent potential condensation problems.
Applications
Horticulture
Dairy Farming
Fish Farming
Home/ Personal Use
Features
The use of fast disconnect “water dense gland” design
Anti-corrosion housing, stainless steel fasteners
Can be dry for a short time
Pump power is 120 watt, can use 150 watt solar panels to run, also can use battery or voltage regulator to run
In capsicum production, the yields are dependent on several factors mainly the variety and the nutrition programme used. To attain high yields, a farmer has to not only ensure the fruits are of bigger size but also the harvesting period is prolonged. This longer production period of uniform high quality fruits (right shape, size, colour and shelf-life) is essential for profitable capsicum farming in Kenya.
The type of fertilizer applied and the stage (time) of application is key in ensuring that the nutrients are available ‘just in time’ for plant uptake.
Capsicums will generally do well at a pH range of 5.5-6.8 hence it is important to ameliorate your soils accordingly or at least avoid the commonly highly acidifying fertilizer products for sustainable use of our soils. Like all other crops, a balanced nutrient supply is needed for optimum productivity and profitability. Alongside proper nutrition, all other agronomic practices have to be adhered to, including timely weeding, pest and disease management.
Capsicums are particularly susceptible to pests such as thrips among others and diseases like powdery mildews, that have to be properly managed to ensure a longer productive period.
Fertilization Application
At crop establishment stage, it is essential to ensure early vigorous growth to build enough food reserves for the reproductive phase. Establish the crop with a balanced NPK fertilizer, supplying the phosphorous and initial nitrogen and potassium requirement for early crop development. This should be applied within seven days after transplanting.
Just like tomatoes, soluble calcium and boron are important in preventing disorders such as blossom end rot and give longer lasting fruits. NITRABOR is, therefore, an important fertilizer to apply as a first top dress 3-4 weeks after transplanting. At the onset of flowering and fruiting stage, application of an NPK with a high K, such as Winner, as well as trace elements is critical for to ensure high productivity and quality of capsicums.
To ensure the harvesting period is prolonged, continued application of the YaraMila Winner fertilizer in splits after every four harvests (four weeks) is essential in ensuring the crop continues to flower and produce more and good quality fruits, translating to better farmer profitability.
via Seeds of Gold
Solar Powered Water Pumps use generated electricity to pump water. Common applications are water for livestock, crop irrigation, drinking and cooking water supply.
Solar Powered Water Pump Applications
During hot months and in hot areas the requirement for water is high. Many farms in Kenya need stable and consistent water for irrigation.
Solar water pumps are electrically driven pumping systems, powered by photovoltaic panels (Solar Panels).
Solar water pumps use the generated electricity to pump water. According to each individual need, a farmer in Kenya could use the solar water pumps for following purposes:
Water for livestock
Water for crop irrigation
Fish Pond Aeration
The pumps can also be used for drinking and cooking water supply.
Solar Powered Water Pump systems are fairly basic installations:
Pump Size
Correct sizing of the pump and controlling devices is important, as the water supply or harvest may rely on constant water supply.
The sizing of the Solar Powered Water Pump needs to be done according to location and usage of the system.
What components are used for Solar Powered Water Pump installations?
A solar water pump installation is a fairly basic system and can be installed by anyone in Kenya. It typically consists of a water pump (submersible or surface pump), solar panels and tubes.
Most solar water pump systems don’t use batteries.
Selecting the solar water pump
You should be aware that different water pumps are used for different applications:
Usually the water level will determine which pump to use. Different types of water pumps can be selected to be used in streams, wells or in ponds.
We can divide water pumps into two types:
Submersible water pumpscan be used to lift water from great depths of up to 700 feet deep.
Surface water pumps can be used to pump surface water of 10-20 feet deep.
Selecting the solar panels
The best way to select the right components is to review the amount of water required per day.
Based on the number of liters required per day, the farmer can select the right water pump and then see the total power required that needs to be produced by the solar panels.
It’s usually indicated on the solar pumps the number of watts that are required to produce the desired water flow.
After selecting the size and type of the solar pump, use the available information to calculate the watts of the solar panels.
Here a complete overview of components for a typical Solar Powered Water Pump system:
Should I use Batteries?
A water pump does not necessarily require batteries.
To save costs, the majority of solar powered water pumps can run directly from the solar panels.
Electricity aimed at running the water pump is not stored in batteries, but the water is instead stored in a water tank or pond. This way the water is stored and can be used anytime required.
Benefits of Solar Powered Water Pumps
Solar water pump installations are versatile and can be used for various applications-:
It enables people to manage their livestock watering, irrigation, drinking water supply, and other residential applications.
Usually the need for water is greatest during the hot sunny days. During these peak times the solar panels also produce most power and most water will be pumped into the storage tank.
Due to the simplicity of solar powered water pump systems, this technology is reliable, and requires little maintenance. A solar pump system can save farmers in Kenya a lot of fuel money that is usually incurred from diesel and petrol pumps.
Identifying if a cow has become pregnant or not as early as possible after insemination, is critical. Dr Ibrahim Kemboi, the veterinarian at Chemusian Farm in Nakuru County with over 800 dairy cattle, knows this too well. Early pregnancy diagnosis he says, enables him quickly re-breed the cows that did not become pregnant or deal with any health problems that may be impeding pregnancy. That’s why Dr Kemboi is happy with a new pregnancy-testing technology — Rapid Visual Pregnancy Test— which he has been using for the last one month.
Misdiagnosis
The technology — Rapid Visual Pregnancy Test — determines the pregnancy status of a cow within just 21 minutes. A small amount of blood is collected from the animal for the test. The kit allows him to accurately know the pregnancy status of the cows just 28 days after insemination instead of waiting 45 days or more as he did previously.
The kit was introduced into the Kenyan market by Lancet Group of Labs and is manufactured by the US-based IDEXX laboratories.
The earlier the pregnancy diagnosis is done the better. That helps the farm maximize its profits by shortening calving intervals, boosting milk production and cutting down losses incurred as a result of long calving intervals, says Dr Kemboi.
Previously, Dr Kemboi relied on the traditional method of rectal palpation to detect pregnancy, in which a hand and forearm is inserted through the rectum of cows to feel for the womb.
With rectal palpation, misdiagnosis is a possibility since accuracy is dependent on skill and experience of the vet doing the palpation. Also, loss of pregnancy (miscarriage) in early gestation can result if the ovaries and uterus are manipulated inappropriately during palpation, he says.
Dr Kemboi hopes the new technology will help the farm boost its calving interval that currently is in the range of 390- 400 days aim so as to reach 365-380 days. Lancet Lab’s Consultant Pathologist and CEO Dr Ahmed Kalebi explains that the new testing technology works by detecting pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) in the blood of cows with 99 per cent accuracy, thus eliminating misdiagnosis and safety concerns.
“Previous testing for pregnancy in cows relied on testing levels of progesterone and oestrogen hormones, but those levels were not specific to pregnancy and thus unreliable,” he says. Misdiagnosis He added: “PAGs are compounds that are highly specific to pregnancy and therefore very reliable for accurate diagnosis of pregnancy. The methodology has been tested and verified internationally. The innovation will make a difference for livestock farmers and their veterinarians.”
Lancet’s Head of Veterinary Services Dr Dhaval Shah says with time Lancet will train vets to be able to run the tests themselves at their clinics or on the farms. Kenya Veterinary Association Dr Kenneth Wameyo says early pregnancy diagnosis will boost productivity since livestock farmers will have their cows calve at intervals of between 380-420 days instead of the current average of about 560 days. Dr Kemboi says in managing reproduction in dairy cows, it’s advisable to do at least three pregnancy checks per reproductive cycle i.e. first by 35 days post breeding, 2nd at 90-120 days post breeding and third at dry off.
via Smart Harvest
Zimbabwean tycoon Strive Masiyiwa made his money in the mobile telecoms business, but if he were to start all over again, he would bet on agriculture.
Speaking at the opening of this year’s African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Zambia’s capital Lusaka, Masiyiwa made a case for the opportunities in the agriculture industry.
The Zimbabwean billionaire is chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), an organisation set up in 2006 to support smallholder farmers with the goal of reducing poverty and hunger.
Masiyiwa noted Africa’s food market would be worth US$1tr in just 15 years, citing a 2013 report by the World Bank.
According to a report launched at the forum, Africa currently spends more than $60bn on food imports each year thereby benefiting producers outside the continent.
“Oh I wish I was starting again. I wouldn’t do telephones. I would go into agriculture,” he said.
Masiyiwa founded Econet, a diversified telecommunications company with operations and investments in Africa, Europe, South America and Asia. His other business interests include financial services, insurance, renewable energy, bottling for Coca-Cola and hospitality ventures – all of which have made him one of the most wealthy and respected business people in Africa.
“Twenty years ago the idea that people could have their own [mobile] phone was almost as ludicrous as the idea that Africa will feed the world. But 20 years from now, this continent will feed the world,” predicts Masiyiwa.
A decade ago, Masiyiwa noted, it was almost impossible to talk about agriculture in Africa beyond simply food security. Millions of people across the continent were facing hunger on a daily basis, even starvation.
“When you mentioned the words food and agriculture, often we spoke about hunger. I cannot say to you the hunger has gone away – but what I can say to you today is that we are beginning to address this issue. We are beginning to move agriculture forward.”
“The green revolution of Africa… has indeed started.”
Involving the youth
Masiyiwa urged stakeholders to connect the bulging youth population with the continent’s vast agricultural resources.
This year’s Africa Agriculture Status Report: Youth in Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa, launched at the forum, notes young people can be the engine behind the development of new agricultural enterprises in farming research, processing, packaging, and retailing of food. However, it warns most of Africa’s under-25 population are pessimistic about farming due to a lack of land, credit, quality farm inputs and machinery.
“Africa has the largest, most vibrant group of young people – yet we have a need to create jobs even today for over 250 million [of them]. Yet we have over 60% of the world’s unutilised arable land. There must be a way to connect these two dots,” said Masiyiwa.
“African youth have the energy of the world. We have to equip them with the right skill… with the tools… with the markets. They are smart, and they are not just going to go out and work the land for nothing – as we did in yesteryears.”
Original Article: How We Made It in Africa
Kenya will mark this year’s World Food Day in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County on November 8, the event’s National Planning Committee announced.
During a planning meeting held in Eldoret under the chairmanship of a Senior Assistant Director of Agriculture Mr. Joshua Oluyali, stakeholders who will participate in the event were asked to liaise with the Uasin Gishu County Government officials in order to make the event a success.
The UN-designated Day is marked worldwide annually on October 16 to create awareness and lobby action in marshaling resources to fight hunger and promote food and nutrition security.
Kenya’s celebrations have been pushed to a later date due to the repeat presidential elections scheduled for October 17.
The theme of this year’s World Food Day is: Change the Future of Migration - Invest in Food Security & rural development. It is aimed at creating opportunities to stem migration by creating opportunities of food production in rural areas.
Kenya marks the event soon after challenges in the agricultural sector which include insufficient maize supply occasioned by prolonged drought last year and invasion of the Fall Army Worm (FAO) in over 20 counties.
Earlier, the committee had visited the site of the event. The Uasin Gishu County Executive Member of Agriculture Dr. Cyril Cheruiyot said it was a big honour for the county to host this year’s event.
In Kenya, national celebrations of the World Food Day are marked in various counties on rotational basis. Last year, the Day was marked in Kilifi County while in 2015, it was marked in Nyamira.
You have probably heard that vegetables grown in the city or town are toxic because they are grown using human waste as fertilizer. The ones you get at supermarkets are not particularly appealing since they have sometimes been on the shelf for a long time. And the ones grown in greenhouses in Kenya, which use a lot of inorganic chemical inputs, are no better.
You are a health-conscious person who wants lots of fresh vegetables but have nowhere to grow any since you live in an apartment or have a small compound in Kenya. So what do you do ?
Well there’s an easy solution, and it won’t cost you much: simply create what Moses Ngatia, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Health and Crop Production, calls a portable garden.
“Though this form of farming has not been fully embraced here, it is a bona fide form of peri-urban farming and I’d say it’s excellent, especially in this age of lifestyle diseases,” he says.
While an outside kitchen garden in Kenya is certainly preferable — crops grow better because soil is more fertile due to the ever changing rock structures — Mr Ngatia says a portable garden is the next best alternative since it is better than eating vegetables grown in sewage swamps or greenhouses.
This, he points out, is because kale grown in sewerage swamps has a higher content of potassium and other metals (kale has a high capacity to absorb metals and there are a lot of metals in human waste in sewers), while greenhouse vegetables, though fit for human consumption, are grown using large amounts of inorganic chemicals.
SUNLIGHT REQUIREMENTS
So what do you need to have a garden in your apartment?
“I prefer to call them portable gardens as they are not gardens in the sense of an kitchen plot garden, but rather soil and other farm inputs, put in bogey bags, sacks, containers and even pots,”
Once you have decided on the containers you want to use, the next step is finding the right soil texture, composition and fertility — this is relative to your geographical location— and then filling the right number of bags and containers, depending on the space available.
When deciding where to place your containers, Mr Ngatia cautions that you should ensure that they are placed in the most ideal spots.
“Bear in mind that any crop, vegetable or otherwise, is not a piece of furniture as it needs sunlight for photosynthesis and thus having it next to your home bar in the basement or in the nook under the staircase is not an ideal location,” he offers with a chuckle.
Mr Ngatia says that, while many people in Kenya use their balconies as stores, you can line it with pretty containers and grow vegetables and herbs instead.
“The reason why balconies are ideal when it comes to this type of farming is that they seldom lack sunlight,” he says, adding that there is less danger of the vegetables being damaged on the balcony and since they need constant watering and aeration, you cannot dirty, say your living room, with gunny bags or containers.
Another ideal location is the fire escape, although you should not block the walking path completely.
“If your apartment is on the top floor of the building, you can place your gunny bags there and if a section of your attic is roofed with plexiglass, you can place the bags directly below them since it allows sunlight through,” he adds.
Mr Ngatia, says another possible location is the staircase, as long as it has plexiglass roofing. You can hang containers of say, capsicum, lettuce, ginger or any other herb you like.
If you live at the end of building with a free outside wall, you can practise vertical farming, but make sure you have strong structures to hold your containers because the last thing you want is to have your vegetables come crashing down because the containers were not firmly secured.
Mr Ngatia says you can grow just about any vegetable you like, with the exception of deep-rooted (mainly tap roots) ones for obvious reasons, and crops that need spraying with pesticides because the pesticides can be toxic to you and your family.
“The important thing to note is that most vegetables can grow, as long as you avoid dark areas such as behind doors, nooks and crannies, and observe the other rules of farming,” he concludes.
via Daily Nation
The severe drought affecting Kenya, which has driven up the cost of food and fueled inflation in the country. Since the end of 2016 conditions remain dire in half of Kenya’s 47 counties. The situation has been exacerbated by the impact of climate change, and it is anticipated that some regions could reach emergency levels of need by end of October. There will be shortage of food towards December and only the farmers with the right irrigation systems will be able to grow food for their families and supply to various markets around the country. One of these irrigation methods is drip irrigation.
A well designed drip irrigation system in Kenya benefits both the farmer and environment by conserving water and fertilizer and requires little labour to use once it is set up. Water is applied either on the surface, next to the plant, or subsurface, near the root zone. In dry areas, fewer weed seeds germinate between rows because there is less water available beyond the plant root zone, although weed roots may grow toward the wet zone, especially when plastic mulch is used. With drip irrigation there is less evaporation than with sprinklers. Evaporation losses from the soil surface are further reduced when drip irrigation is placed under plastic mulch.
It requires some expertise to install and operate a drip system. Consultation with a knowledgeable professional is wise. A poorly designed system can result in yield variability in the field due to areas of over- or under-watering and clogged lines. Trying to save money by cutting costs on initial equipment purchases will likely be more expensive in the long run. Any or all of these problems can completely offset the potential cost savings from using drip irrigation, but they can be avoided by using good equipment and proper design and installation.
Water Source
Organic materials such as plant materials, algae, small living organisms, and inorganic sand, silt, and clay are likely to be found in surface water such as a pond or stream. Well water is likely to have some sand, silt or clay particles, although not as much as most surface water. These particles can clog the small emitters in the drip lines. Filters are used to remove particulate matter as discussed later. Surface water might have contaminants from run-off, which can include diseases such as Phytophthora.
Slope
A slope of 2% or less is the ideal for drip irrigation. The length of lateral lines, the pump size, and pressure regulators are chosen based on the slope. It is best to run the rows horizontally across a slope, but if rows must run up and down, it is best to have the water flow downward through the drip lines. Water should also flow downward in headers. This probably requires that water be pumped to the top of the field so it can flow downward from there. With slopes greater than 5%, pressure-compensating drip tape is needed.
Soil
The soil type determines the soil wetting patterns. Soil wetting patterns in turn influence the depth of the drip tape and the distance between emitters. The duration and frequency of irrigation are also determined by the soil type. Over-watering can move fertilizer away from the root zone. On sandy soils, water goes primarily downward rather than horizontally so emitters should be at relatively close spacing. Spacing between emitters can be greater in heavier soils where there is considerable movement laterally. In sandy soils, irrigate more frequently, but run the water for a lesser amount of time. In heavier soils, irrigate less often, but run the water for a longer duration. In both cases, this should lessen the chance of leaching fertilizers away from the root zone.
Drip tape should apply water uniformly throughout the crop root zone. The emitters should be close enough so that there is uniform wetting of the soil.
The length of the drip lines is another important consideration. The length is determined by the pump size, the field size(s), and the slope of the land. Any one of these factors will influence wetting uniformity because the emitters will discharge water at different rates if there are changes in pressure along the line. Because of variation in water pressure, tape is rarely laid out longer than a length of 400' on fairly level land and less on slopes. Drip lines should run across the slope, but if this is not practical, it should run downhill so the pressure loss due to friction is counteracted by the gain as the elevation decreases. If the drip lines runs up hill, there is a double loss due to friction and increasing elevation.
The choice of drip line thickness, measured in mils, is based on how long you want the tape to last and the expected highest water pressure in the lines.
Placement of Drip Lines
The tape should be placed as close to the plant as is practical for the specific crop. Drip lines are often laid between double rows of crops such as peppers. The soil will be wetter on the side of the crop where the tape is and most of the roots will be concentrated there. The tape should be placed so that the emitters are pointed upward so that any particulate matter will settle away from the emitters after the water stops flowing.
Tape can be placed on top of the soil or a few inches below the surface. If tape is on the surface, it is easy to observe wetting patterns and to make repairs if needed. The disadvantages are that there is greater evaporation in the initial stages of the crop's growth and the tape is more likely to be damaged by production practices, wind, and animals. As tape is heated by the sun during the day, it expands and takes on a snake-like pattern in the row. This is particularly a problem with higher temperatures under plastic. This can be avoided by burying the tape.
Pumps
For a given area, drip irrigation uses less water and at a slower rate than a sprinkler system. Therefore smaller pumps can usually be used. The required pump capacity is determined by the flow rate of the tape, total length of tape to be used at a given time and pressure loss due to friction and increases in elevation. Pump size should be determined when designing a system.
Filters
The choice of filter is based on the quality of the water passing through the system and drip application requirements. Typical screen mesh size is 150 mesh (100 micron). The filter should be sized for the longest application flow rate needed. Water particulates change through the growing season and filter flow rates are affected with dirtier water and more suspended particulates. It is better to design a system larger than is required, compared to smaller.
Screen filter
Screen or mesh filters are inexpensive and easy to install. Mesh filters work well if there are moderate to low contaminants in the water, such as those coming from a well or public water supply. Screen filters have a limited ability to store contaminants. If the water comes from a river or pond, the screens will probably have to be flushed often. This could result in considerable down time and labor.
Mesh screen sizes are between 20 and 200 mesh. The larger the number, the smaller the particle the screen will filter out. The screens are made from stainless steel, nylon, or polyester. Follow the recommendation of the tape manufacturer as to mesh.
Pipe/Mainlines
Mainlines can be metal pipe, HDPE, PVC pipe or lay-flat hose. They deliver water from the pump to the submains and laterals. Proper pipe diameter is a function of the pumping rate and distance the water must travel. Larger diameters can move greater volumes and have lower friction losses, but are more expensive than smaller pipes. The longer the pipe and the more elbows or junctions, the more pressure loss due to friction. A qualified designer can help determine the appropriate pipe size for the system.
Care should be taken when laying the pipe to prevent soil or debris from getting into the system and clogging the lines. The lines should be flushed before the tape is connected to remove any dirt that got into the lines during installation.
Back flow preventers or check valves allow water to flow in one direction only. They are used to prevent water from flowing backward into a water source after the system is shut off. This is especially important to prevent injected fertilizer or pesticides from contaminating water supplies.
Pressure Regulators
They maintain the desired pressure as the water flows through the system. They are required to supply the appropriate pressure to tape and may be needed to protect filters and other components. They should be sized according to the rate of water flow. Drip tape typically operates at 12 PSI.
