It is all in the moisture

We use a lot more water than is needed be it for human beings, plants and trees feels K S Gopal, the winner of the Climate Challenge competition on the CIRAD-AFD stand at the Paris International Agricultural show. He talks to The Hans India on
his innovation that combines modern and traditional technology to limit the usage of the elixir

Farmers invariably use a lot of water as they are not sure of the root moisture status. Drip irrigation which is brandied about as the solution too has a lot of disadvantages such as leakages. “The need of the hour is to move from surface irrigation to root moisture,” says Gopal.

The innovation reduces the usage of water to a great extent. The experiment in Hyderabad and Anantapur proves that little water is needed. “Water, rather than moisture, is the focus of all irrigation systems and this is where we go wrong,” feels Gopal. He has developed a unique cost-effective method that assures direct to plant root network of assured moisture.

The technology that he calls System of Water for Agricultural Rejuvenation (SWAR) stresses on direct to the food seeking plant root network.

How does it work?
A plastic container is embedded in a mud pot and buried close to the plant. Pipes link all the plants to the water source. Water in the primary container drops into the mud pot which oozes it to the plant roots through a micro pipe located at two thirds height of the pot.

“Water oozes for several hours to wet the soil roots followed by sweating from the mud pot as well for a few days. SWAR creates the ecology for soil organisms to thrive leading to the promotion of living soils that are essential for the growth of the plant,” says Gopal.

The advantages of the method is it eliminates evaporation, no shock to the plant from warm water, no weed growth as water goes directly to the roots and there is no use of electricity and pump.

By:T P Venu