The project activities includes Micro Irrigation System comprising of emitting irrigation water through emitters/drippers, micro sprinklers, mini sprinklers, micro jets, misters, fan jets, micro sprayers, foggers, emitting pipes, drip tapes, bubbler micro tubes and other similar emitting devices. The scheme shall cover pumping system including reservoir/fractional tube-well as source of water supply plus delivery system comprising of specified pipes and attachments etc. It may however be added that arranging water source including construction of water storages tank will be the responsibility of the farmers at their own costs. A brief description of the schemes involved is prescribed below;

Micro-Irrigation Systems

DRIP IRRIGATION

• Drip Tapes/Lines
• Bubblers
• Flexible gated pipes
• Family Drip

• Center Pivot
• Rain Gun
• Impact Sprinkler
• Popup sprinkler
• Towable
• Linear Move

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• Drip Irrigation Systems:
  These systems are suitable for all row crops (vegetable/fruit, cotton) and have either drip-lines or drip-tapes. On-farm storage is required if water is supplied from a canal or other intermittent water source. They have low investment costs and good distribution uniformity. However they need to be replaced after every year (if handled carefully they may last up to three years). Since under this scheme the government supports investment costs but not replacement costs farmers might be better served with more expensive but more durable drip-lines with in-built emitters.
  
  

  Cotton on Drip System (Faisalabad)
  

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• Bubbler or Mini-sprinkler:
  Mature trees require bubbler or mini-sprinkler systems that provide water to the entire root system. For young trees point-source drippers can be used provided they are expandable with more drippers  to account for higher water requirements as the trees grow. In densely planted orchards and with grapes-drip lines are also an option.

Schematic view of Bubbler Irrigation System    

Bubbler Irrigation System

• Center Pivots:
  On large fields Center Pivot Systems will be used. This is a solid, time-tested technology and relatively cheap per unit of irrigated area. However, they require a level field, good and reliable source of water (preferably a well because on-farm storage would be too expensive) and a dependable source of energy.  Center Pivots should be operated by trained technicians.  The investment cost for medium and large Center Pivots easily exceeds the maximum grant under this program.

Center Pivot System

• Family Drip Systems (FDS):
  Family Drip Systems are suitable for home gardening and peri-urban agriculture. They may also serve as an entry level drip system to allow farmers to experiment and get familiar with the technology. Family drip systems are designed for areas of 500 to 1000 m2.  They are best be used in peri-urban agriculture where farmers may have limited land and access to small sources of water (dug-well, piped water, ditch).  FDS consist of only five components (elevated tank, shut-off valve, filter, mainline, drip-line).  Drip-lines are being used because of the low pressure being used.  FDS are cheap, easy to install and to operate.  The filling of the tank is done by manual pump, treadle pump or a small electric pump.

Schematic view of Family Drip System

Family Drip System.

• Sprinkler Systems:Sprinkler Systems:
  Sprinkler systems will be specified for field crops (pulses, maize, sugarcane, some vegetables). On small fields either solid-set or semi-solid set systems will be installed. Semi-solid set systems (hose-move systems) have been used successfully by small-hold farmers in many countries. They are relatively cheap (about half the costs of a drip system) and easy to maintain and operated. Their disadvantage is relatively high labor requirements for the movement of sprinklers

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Linear Sprinkler System

Side Role Sprinkler System

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• Reservoirs:
  On-farm storage will be required when the source of water is a canal that runs on rotational schedule.  Reservoirs can be quite large depending on the size of the HEIS and the rotation interval.  On the average a storage capacity of about 400 m3 will be required per 1 ha in a 7 days rotation interval.  Most reservoirs will be excavated to allow gravity flow from the canal.  The need for lining depends on soil conditions.  In heavy textured clay soil good compaction may be sufficient.  Some percolation losses of up to 5 cm per day may be acceptable.  If the percolation losses are higher lining is required.  There are different lining methods.  The least expensive lining is probably PVC liner covered with about 30 cm earth.  More expensive are PE and EMDP liners that can be used in exposed installations.

Reservoir at NIAB Faisalabad