Potential Applicability of a Low-Cost Drip Irrigation System as a Water-Saving, Water Use-Efficient and

Cost-Effective Technology for Sustainable Upland Crop Production in the Philippines

Victor B. Ella
Land and Water Resources Division, Institute of Agricultural Engineering, College of Engineering and Agro-
industrial Technology, University of the Philippines Los Baños

Introduction Results Table 1. Comparison of crop yield with and without

low-cost drip irrigation
Drip irrigation is one of the technology interventions that can Results of the laboratory experiments showed that both the With Drip Without drip
be used to address the issue of sustainable upland crop Christiansen’s Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and Merriam-Keller Crop
(tons/ha) (tons/ha)
production in the Philippines. However, its prohibitive initial cost Distribution Uniformity (DU) generally increase with increasing Cabbage 44.5 33.8
particularly the conventional type makes it unsuitable for small head and decreasing slope. Results also showed that installation Chinese cabbage 50.4 34.1
farmers in the country. This study aimed to assess the potential of adjustable valve pressure regulators at the head of each Tomato 47.8 39.3
applicability of a low-cost drip irrigation system as a water- lateral could improve the CU and DU to as high as 94% and Pepper 11.4 7.6
saving, water use-efficient and cost-effective technology for 91%, respectively for low slopes and high heads, consequently
sustainable upland crop production in the Philippines. To indicating higher irrigation efficiencies and minimal application Table 2. Comparison of water productivity with and
variability of losses and hence, water savings. Field testing of the low-cost without low-cost drip irrigation
drip technology in selected upland vegetable farms in the With Drip Without drip
Materials and Methods Philippines demonstrated its applicability and feasibility. Field
Crop
(kg/m3) (kg/m3)
Both laboratory and field experiments were performed using a trials showed that actual crop yield could reach its potential Cabbage 7.84 8.24
low-cost drip system developed by the International yield and is generally higher in drip-irrigated farms than in Chinese cabbage 8.72 8.71
unirrigated farms. The Tomato 3.62 3.46
Development Enterprises (IDE), which makes use of either a water productivity measured
b as weight
of produce per unit volume of water used, which is a measure Pepper 0.90 0.67
microtube or button-type emitters inserted in lay-flat-when-
empty plastic pipes connected to polyethylene submain which in of water use efficiency, also proved to be higher in drip
Table 3. Financial profitability with the low-cost
turn is attached to an elevated drum or tank water reservoir. irrigated farms than in farms without drip irrigation. Moreover,
drip system for selected crops
Laboratory tests of the drip systems were performed to a rough financial analysis showed that the benefit-cost ratio is
Benefit-Cost Payback Period
evaluate the water distribution uniformity under sloping greater than 1.0 for all farms and crops and indicated a Crop/ Farm
Ratio* (year)
conditions at various operating pressures and consequently relatively short payback period ranging from 1 to 2.5 years. a. Cabbage and Chinese cabbage
determine optimum operating conditions. The use of adjustable Binahon farm 1.06 2.32
pressure regulators to improve system performance was also Lucbo farm 1.04 2.47
CU with and without AV Adjustment DU with and without AV Adjustment
evaluated. All laboratory tests were performed at the facilities at h = 0.5 m at h = 0.5 m
Quidlat farm 1.44 2.04
of the College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology
100 100
Average 1.18 2.28
Average DU (%)
Average CU (%)

80 80
b. Tomato and pepper
(CEAT) at University of the Philippines Los Baños . Field 60 60

Binahon farm
40 40 1.37 1.00
experiments were performed in Lantapan, Bukidnon, Philippines 20 20
Lucbo farm 1.05 2.34
to evaluate the yield of selected vegetable crops and the
0 0
10% Slope 20 % Slope 30% Slope 10% Slope 20 % Slope 30% Slope
With AV adj 85 90 87 With AV adj 80 84 79 Padla farm 1.12 1.82
water productivity with and without the low-cost drip system. Without AV adj 78 67 53 Without AV adj 68 47 25
Average 1.18 1.72

CU with and without AV Adjustment

at h = 1.0 m
DU with and without AV Adjustment
at h = 1.0 m
Conclusion
100 100
All results of this study suggest that the low-cost drip
Average DU (%)
Average CU (%)

80 80
60
40
60
40
irrigation technology has a great potential for wider
20 20 application in upland crop production areas in the
0 0

With AV adj
10% Slope
92
20 % Slope
87
30% Slope
82 With AV adj
10% Slope
89
20 % Slope
78
30% Slope
75
Philippines. It is a water-saving, water use-efficient and
Without AV adj 88 79 72 Without AV adj 80 67 55
cost-effective irrigation engineering technology that can
potentially address the issue of sustainability of upland
Figure 1. Laboratory experiments on the low-cost drip system. CU with and without AV Adjustment DU with and without AV Adjustment crop production systems in the Philippines from both
at h = 1.5 m at h = 1.5 m
100 100 environmental and economic standpoints. It can also
Average CU (%)

Average DU (%)

.
80
60
80
60
potentially address the issues of food security, climate
40 40 change and poverty alleviation in the country. Continued
20 20
0
10% Slope 20 % Slope 30% Slope
0
10% Slope 20 % Slope 30% Slope
research and development should be given the necessary
With AV adj
Without AV adj
94
91
78
85
76
79
With AV adj
Without AV adj
91
87
65
77
64
68
institutional and financial support to maximize its potential
benefits. Government, NGOs and other institutions should
Figure 3. Results of laboratory experiments on the use of consider pouring resources on drip irrigation technology
adjustable valve pressure regulator for improving water research, development and extension in the Philippines as
distribution uniformity of the low-cost drip system under part of food security, poverty alleviation and climate
Figure 2. Field experiments on the low-cost drip system. sloping conditions. change adaptation programs in the country.

.
This project was made possible through support provided by the United States Department of Agriculture and United States
Environmental Protection Agency in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development Sustainable
Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Collaborative Research Support Program under the Office of International
Research and Development at Virginia Tech.