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South Africa is renowned for its diverse agricultural landscapes. However, some producers face significant challenges, particularly concerning their water needs in a water-scarce country. Precision irrigation stands out as a solution that can aid farmers in overcoming this challenge.
Charl van Reenen, agronomy manager at Netafim South Africa, explains that the availability of water directly influences crop yield, quality, and the sustainability of farming operations.
With the increasingly erratic rainfall patterns experienced in many areas and limited freshwater reserves, producers often struggle to secure sufficient water for irrigation during critical growth stages of their crops. For this reason, Van Reenen says producers need to be proactive and manage their use of available water resources to prevent setbacks.
“Precision irrigation involves the application of water in a targeted manner, taking into account the specific needs of plants and optimising water-use efficiency,” he adds.
This approach contrasts with traditional methods like flood irrigation, which can lead to significant water wastage and inefficient resource allocation.
Netafim, recognised as the world’s largest irrigation company and a leader in precision irrigation solutions, has been a cornerstone in South Africa’s agricultural landscape since 1992. Operating from Kraaifontein in the Western Cape, Netafim South Africa serves the Southern African region with innovative irrigation solutions and dedicated services.
Driven by its slogan, ‘Grow more with less’, the company offers holistic irrigation solutions designed to empower producers of all sizes and types. The goal is to enable them to achieve increased productivity while minimising their resource use.
Netafim South Africa’s comprehensive range includes leading-edge irrigation technologies like drippers, driplines, micro and macro sprinklers, along with essential components like valves, filters, and water meters.
Additionally, the company provides crop-management technology and continually evolving digital farming solutions, catering to diverse crop requirements, environmental conditions, and terrains.
Benefits of Precision Irrigation
Precision irrigation systems offer a multitude of benefits crucial for modern agricultural sustainability. By delivering water directly to the root zone of plants, systems like drip irrigation and micro sprinklers minimise losses due to evaporation and run-off, maximising water application efficiency for enhanced plant growth.
This precise method of water management not only improves crop quality, fostering optimal conditions for orchard and vineyard crops, but also contributes significantly to environmental conservation by reducing overall water consumption per unit of production.
The conservation of freshwater resources is particularly critical in regions facing water scarcity, as it safeguards ecosystems and communities dependent on shared water sources.
Despite high initial investments, the long-term cost savings and heightened productivity achieved through precision irrigation systems outweigh upfront costs, promoting financial stability for producers by minimising input expenses associated with conventional irrigation methods.
These systems enable producers to adapt to unpredictable climate patterns driven by climate change, allowing for real-time adjustments in water application rates to mitigate risks and ensure crop resilience in the face of increasingly variable environmental conditions.
The table to the right shows different types of precision irrigation systems and how efficiently they use water.
According to Van Reenen, drip irrigation stands out as the most efficient precision irrigation system for several key reasons. Firstly, it delivers water directly to the root zone of plants, minimising losses from evaporation, run-off, and deep percolation that are common in other irrigation systems.
This targeted approach not only reduces water wastage but also allows precise control over water and nutrient delivery. By ensuring plants receive optimal water levels tailored to their needs, drip irrigation promotes growth while minimising excess water use and the associated risks of weed growth.
Additionally, compared to other irrigation methods, drip systems operate at lower pressures, resulting in reduced energy consumption and operational costs. Their adaptability to various terrains and crop types further enhances efficiency and effectiveness.
Moreover, drip irrigation contributes significantly to environmental conservation by safeguarding water resources, maintaining soil structure, and mitigating risks such as waterlogging and soil erosion, thus underlining its role as a sustainable agricultural practice.
Van Reenen adds that the evolution of drippers has seen a gradual decrease in their flow rates as the industry moves to low-flow drip irrigation. From experience, Netafim has learnt that although the traditional application of drip irrigation is the most efficient method, often water delivery is still too fast and too deep.
Therefore, low-flow drip irrigation is increasingly being used and has improved the performance of some crops. Netafim defines low-flow drip irrigation as systems where drippers have delivery rates of 1ℓ/hour and less.
“We can accommodate lower flow rates in drippers without fear of dripper clogging as Netafim’s low-flow technology makes it possible to implement low rates while maintaining clog-resistant flow-path dimensions,” says Van Reenen.
This is made possible via patented turbulent labyrinths with a much better turbulence coefficient. These labyrinths maintain a unique geometric tooth-shaped structure that increases turbulence, enabling the creation of wider, deeper and shorter passages.
Long-term success in the orchard
The best olive oil in the world is made from olives from trees irrigated by Netafim driplines. In 2023, the De Rustica Estate Collection Single Cultivar Coratina EVOO was named the best olive oil in the world in the EVOOLEUM World’s Top 100 Extra Virgin Olive Oils international competition.
Furthermore, De Rustica took home five gold awards at the 2023 SA Olive awards.
Dawie Durand, general manager at De Rustica Olive Estate, recounted their long-standing partnership with Netafim dating back to 2005, when they first implemented Netafim Ram driplines, now succeeded by UniRam, in their olive orchards.
Emphasising the efficiency of drip irrigation for their region, Durand highlighted its ability to minimise water loss through evaporation while reducing labour demands – a critical advantage in the arid conditions of the Klein Karoo.
According to Kallie Frey, olive production manager at De Rustica, drip irrigation not only ensures precise control over water and nutrient delivery, crucial for optimal fruit set during critical periods from September to November, but also leads to significant savings in labour costs, outweighing initial equipment investments.
Their approach involves a weekly soil moisture evaluation and fine-tuning irrigation schedules to maintain soil moisture levels ideal for olive cultivation.
Van Reenen confirms the comprehensive support provided to De Rustica, from initial soil analysis and system design to ongoing collaboration on refining irrigation and nutrition strategies.
This partnership extends beyond equipment supply to include knowledge-sharing trips to olive-producing countries like Israel and Italy, demonstrating Netafim’s commitment to enhancing agricultural practices globally.
Together, De Rustica and Netafim exemplify the synergy between cutting-edge irrigation technology, rigorous agronomic management, and collaborative teamwork, culminating in De Rustica’s recognition as a world-class producer of olive oil and a testament to the transformative impact of precision irrigation in sustainable agriculture.
Visit www.netafim.co.za.
