How to lower your farm’s water footprint
Agriculture is an industry that uses a massive amount of water on a near daily basis, by feeding and watering livestock and irrigating crops.
While it is important to do such things for the successful running of a farm, there is the possibility to lower your water footprint with everyday water-saving practices, as outlined below.
Water catchment tanks
If you have livestock, that means that you have both feeding equipment and watering equipment, and the need to use both for your animal’s welfare. To save yourself from using up your water resources, you could look into water catchment tanks to water your animals and provide irrigation water for crops.
Be sure that you purchase the necessary accessories for your water catchment tank, such as a sieve to keep out leaves and debris and a tap with a filter attached to ensure the water is clean enough for your animals to drink. If you are not sure about the drinking quality of this water, then use it to irrigate crops or water the vegetables you have growing on your farm. You could even use it in your home for flushing toilets and mopping floors, rather than using up potable drinking water for these tasks.
Hugelkultur
Hugelkultur is the practise of burying woody materials in soil, such as logs and branches and then planting in the soil above the buried mound. It is used in normal gardens as well as in both smaller and more commercial farms.
Translated from German it means ‘hill culture’ and is a popular sustainable farming process because the woody materials under the soil soak up water like a sponge, creating the perfect growing conditions. Hugelkultur is fantastic at retaining water, meaning that you can cut down on irrigation significantly. It is important to note that some tree species work better than others in this process.
Organic farming methods
Organic farming methods include letting cattle graze in pastures, eliminating the need for expensive (and water-consuming) animal feeding equipment and feed mixers. Another aspect of organic farming is that it reduces and eliminates the need use chemicals, ridding the runoff of pollution.
By using organic farming, farmers can easily recycle the water without having to treat it. It is another way that farmers can conserve water by taking out a costly step in the recycling process. Organic farming includes using natural ‘predators’ of pests to eliminate the threats, meaning that herbicides and pesticides are not needed, keeping the water runoff clean and toxin free.
Irrigation scheduling
Large-scale farms are unable to be watered by hand, and require irrigation in order for water to reach the crops. Watering schedules can be adapted to allow for watering only when it is completely necessary or at certain times of day when water evaporation by the sun is less likely.
Computer programs are now available and can be used to adjust irrigation systems according to precipitation and soil moisture. You can also set your irrigation system to be turned on at night, when the sun is unable to evaporate water, and the lower temperatures are more conducive to water retention in the soil. Be sure to turn off your irrigation system if you know there will be rain at any time of the day, as it is unnecessary to water your crops after it has been raining.
Make use of drip irrigation
If you use a drip irrigation system, you can save a significant amount of water, up to almost 80 percent. Drip irrigation systems deliver water directly to the crop roots, which decreases the level of evaporation that occurs with traditional spray-irrigation systems.
As with normal irrigation, timers can be made use of to plan the watering cycle for the cooler parts of the day, further diminishing water loss. Drip irrigation is highly useful for farmers who wish to cut back on their water use and save money, as you will not be losing water to evaporation and will not have to irrigate your crops more than twice a day due to this water loss.
Drought-tolerant crops
Farmers who live in arid areas should consider growing those crops that are the most appropriate to the local climate, rather than crops that need more regular watering. You should look at growing crops that are naturally drought-tolerant for areas where water might be scarce.
Planting crops that are appropriate to your area climate helps to save water because you will not have to water them as often as crops that are better suited to a more tropical or wetter climate. Drought-tolerant crops are hardy and able to survive the harsh conditions of a water-scarce environment, making them ideal for farmers in the Karoo and other desert areas.
Water-wise farming is the future
It is important that farmers realise that their water-saving efforts can make a significant impact on the rest of the world and how others save water too. You can help this effort as a farmer yourself by using water catchment tanks, practising Hugelkultur, looking into organic farming methods and implementing drip irrigation techniques. Even the smallest changes in your irrigation or crop planting routine can start your journey towards water-wise farming.