Plateforme de connaissances sur l'agriculture familiale

Cost-benefit analysis of rain water harvesting systems: roof top rain water harvesting combined with gravity drip irrigation

This practice briefly describes the introduction of rainwater harvesting and the use of gravity drip irrigation on small vegetable farms in Jamaica to address the water scarcity problem farmers are facing. The technology was validated in the parish of St. Elizabeth, which is the leading producer of cash vegetables in Jamaica. Traditionally, the crop production system in southern parts of the parish relies on bi-annual patterns of rainfall. Water is purchased by farmers from delivery trucks and manual hand watering of crops is practised. The area is prone to dry spells, prolonged drought, high temperatures during summer months (especially during June to September) and high winds. Due to an increase in temperatures, the area is also prone to frequent flair ups and outbreaks of the beet armyworm. Over the years, farmers have built resilience to drought by using soil mulch (Guinea grass) and labour-intensive hand watering. The majority of farmers purchase irrigation water, but its availability is scarce during droughts. This technology can be adopted by householders, farmers or can be scaled up and modified to suit the needs of larger industry players.

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Auteur: FAO TECA
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Organisation: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO TECA
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Année: 2020
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Pays: Jamaica
Couverture géographique: Amérique latine et les Caraïbes
Type: Pratiques
Texte intégral disponible à l'adresse: https://www.fao.org/teca/en/technologies/10011
Langue: English
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