Drip Irrigation System

Drip irrigation delivers water through a piping network to drip emitters that release the water directly at the base of the crops, avoiding water losses due to evaporation, runoff, and infiltration. Drip can reduce water consumption by 20-60% compared to conventional flood irrigation, and has been shown to increase yields by 20-50% for certain crops. Because irrigation accounts for over 70% of freshwater use in most regions of the world, large-scale adoption of drip irrigation would reduce the consumption of freshwater and be an asset for locations around the world experiencing water shortages and groundwater depletion. Two key barriers to the adoption of drip irrigation are the high initial cost and lack of electrical grid power to pump water.