ABSTRACT
Drip irrigation provides the precise water application by leading the water through pipes, called drip lines, and delivering it through emitters. Designing a drip system that properly matches crop water requirement requires information that is site and crop specific. Commercial drip irrigation was introduced in India via government support programs in the 1980s. Manufacturing companies were required to obtain Bureau of Indian Standards 'ISI certification' for their products to qualify for the subsidy program. Low-cost drip irrigation has been widely tested in many environments. Key factors that explain the success of low-cost drip irrigation are: smallholders with prior experience of furrow irrigating a large variety of crops including fruits, flowers, vegetables, cotton and sugar cane; existing access to a limited supply of groundwater where switching from furrow to drip enabled the same water supply to greatly increase the area irrigated or save significant time and labour; and ready markets for high-value crops.
