ABSTRACT

The world has already entered an exciting era of irrigation development. not so much in developing new irrigated lands but toward an even more important goal-improving existing irrigated lands. Much of the emphasis in the future will be to increase crop yields on lands already under cultivation. T,here are several national goals that impinge on this subject. Besides continually increasing crop production. it is also necessary to reduce water pollution, to have cleaner water and to reduce energy consumption. at the same time sustaining the productivity of irrigated soils. Fortunately. these can be compatible goals! For irrigated croplands. this means moving away from the preoccupation with hardware development. such as dams and canals. to focusing on the management of soil and water resources on farms. This change in emphasis is very much needed everywhere.