Building a food secured Africa
THAILAND IRRIGATION TECHNIQUE: AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THAI FARMERS GENERATE WATER FOR OFF-SEASON AND IN-SEASON FARMING
Thailand is very intentional about agriculture. In order to stay ahead, they had to ensure they produced all year round. One of the things that could hamper this development is water. Water plays a vital role in crop production, especially in the off-season when it doesn’t rain.
During our visit to Thailand in 2023, we discovered that canals, dams, or reservoirs were excavated at strategic places to store rainwater during the rainy season. This they continually do to trap and store the water used each year. Canals and waterways were also carved out and channeled to different farm settlements in a bid to supply water to rice farms, fruit farms, maize farms, and the like.
Because the water supply was controlled by a regulatory body, every farmer understood when to expect water and carved out reservoirs to conserve the water that came to them within a given time. This innovation has given farmers the opportunity to produce all year round without having to worry about water.
In Nigeria, there are locations where farmers have access to streams, waterways, boreholes, rivers, etc. Whereas there are some locations that don’t give farmers the opportunity to access water freely. One thing everyone has free access to is rainfall. As a farmer, you can begin to think of ways to trap the rainwater in your location. Then store it year-in and year-out to have something to bank on in times when it stops raining.
The understanding of climate change, which justifies why it will not rain even in the specified rainy periods, the cost of fuel to power a pumping machine on a daily basis for irrigation, etc. Should motivate a farmer to begin to think about alternative ways of trapping and conserving rainwater or any other excess water.
Is Thailand Irrigation Technique achievable in Nigeria?
How are you conserving water on your farm for off-season farming?
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