Importance of Irrigation Engineering - Purposes, Objectives and Benefits

• In the next 35-45- years, world food production will need to double to meet the demands of increased population.
• 90% of this increased food production will have to come from existing lands. 
• 70% of this increased food production will have to come from irrigated land

Purposes of Irrigation

• Providing insurance against short duration droughts
• Reducing the hazard of frost (increase the temperature of the plant)
• Reducing the temperature during hot spells
• Washing or diluting salts in the soil Softening tillage pans and clods
• Delaying bud formation by evaporative cooling
• Promoting the function of some micro organisms

Objectives of irrigation

• To Supply Water Partially or Totally for Crop Need
• To Cool both the Soil and the Plant
• To Leach Excess Salts
• To improve Groundwater storage
• To Facilitate continuous cropping
• To Enhance Fertilizer Application- Fertigation

Benefits of Irrigation

1. Increase in Crop Yield
2. Protection from famine
3. Cultivation of superior crops
4. Elimination of mixed cropping:
5. Economic development
6. Hydro power generation
7. Domestic and industrial water supply: