ABSTRACT
Micro-irrigation technologies-drip and sprinkler based systems-were first perfected in Israel during the 1960s and have spread to many other parts of the world, especially in the USA. These seem particularly suited to conditions in water-scarce regions such as western and southern India and North China. However, introduced first in the 1970s, the total area under drip irrigation in India has expanded to just around 60,000 ha against the ultimate potential of 145 million-hectares [Mha]. Of these, 40,000 ha are in Maharashtra where it is extensively used in grape and orange orchards; the bulk of the rest are in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka (Sivanappan, Chapter 6). Drip irrigation is a big success for citrus and orange orchards and grape in Maharashtra; for coconut in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu); and for mulberry in Kolar (Karnataka). However, despite proactive promotion by a growing private irrigation equipment industry and subsidies provided by governments, the appeal of these technologies has remained confined to ‘gentlemen farmers [Large farm holders]. A common perception that has held sway over the popular mind is that drip and sprinkler irrigation require: High initial capital; high maintenance cost; technical/managerial skills; high skilled labor; and sophisticated scientific knowledge.
