WATER CONSERVATION : IRRIGATION

This note focuses on water conservation in irrigation. It starts with considerations of efficiency and the importance of taking an integrated approach to water conservation in irrigation. The second section of this note presents techniques to reduce losses from the conveyance and distribution systems, the different methods for on-farm water savings, and finally methods for improving operational flexibility and reliability—a prerequisite to improved water use at farm level. The last section discusses the policy tools that can be used to encourage irrigators to use water more efficiently. A major conclusion of this Note is that neither technology nor policy reforms alone are sufficient to bring about more efficient use of irrigation water. More efficient application techniques will not be adopted by the water users if they are not accompanied by changes in pricing and improved operation of the water supply system.