Water & Wastewater Asia January/February 2023

IN CONVERSATION WITH
with the exact amount of water needed for
optimum growth. Spray irrigation, meanwhile,
relies on a jet spray to deliver water. It is also
mobile, and can be applied in smaller lawns
or across larger farms.
Drip irrigation, on the other hand, uses
emitters to deliver water directly to the plant
root into the soil. These emitters optimise and
distribute the pressure from the water source
using vents, twisters, and convoluted or long
flow paths which allow only a limited amount
of water to pass through. Emitters may be
placed on the ground or planted deep into
the soil, where water flowing through moves
without barriers at the desired speed.
Lastly, subsurface irrigation applies water
to plants from below the soil surface. Highly
efficient, the system requires only low-levels
of water pressure to perform effectively. In
this system, tubes and pipes are hidden under
the soil for water delivery, which means there
is no waste of water.
Besides reducing water consumption by
90%, micro-irrigation also yields a host of
other benefits. Zaghloul elaborated that
micro-irrigation systems are often used to
“fertigate”, a process where liquid fertilisers
are injected directly into irrigation pipes rather
than spread across the field. As a result,
fertilisers are distributed more accurately and
evenly, saving energy by pumping less water,
or keeping a patch of soil moist where the
microbiome thrives. In all, farmers can expect
greater yields and improved crop quality.
RACE TOWARDS CONSERVATION
As the world faces increasing water scarcity,
micro-irrigation will rise to the fore as a viable
means of conserving previous resources.
Indeed, the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change has assessed that “most
regions have already experienced negative
impacts on the water cycle and agricultural
productivity”.
Zaghloul believes that micro-irrigation
technology will benefit from double-digit
growth in the coming 5- 10 years. This will,
of course, be accompanied by other solutions
that can work hand-in-hand with microirrigation
to enhance water management:
Wireless monitoring, for example, can enable
remote management of irrigation systems and
an easier control of pressure, flow, and water
levels anytime, anywhere, supporting greater
cost-effectiveness and sustainability.
Meanwhile, manufacturers will continue with
the reduction of their environmental footprint
through the upgrading of manufacturing
capabilities, which can support the increased
use of recycled materials in their products.
Collecting used products and circling
them back into the manufacturing process
also create a more resilient supply chain,
according to Zaghloul.
“We are starting to see more control,
more intelligence, and more integration.
For example, we are seeing more control
over each valve and each outlet, bringing
precision irrigation to the next level,”
observed Zaghloul. “We are also seeing
more intelligence through forecasting and
predictive analysis. This is a game-changer
for agriculture. It helps to reduce errors and
minimise the risk of crop failures. Additionally,
it gives growers a better idea of general water
trends in their soil to create more efficient and
effective plans.
“Also, we expect more integration between
designing the system, manufacturing, and
installing it on the ground, as well as operating
and monitoring it. We strongly believe in this
concept of more integration which is why we
acquired our own irrigation design software
in 2022 called WCADI.” Rivulis is currently
integrating the software into their own
production systems and monitoring solutions
to create a smooth process from design to
monitoring.
A DROP IN THE OCEAN
Consistent to the theme of water conservation
are teamwork and cooperation. In that regard,
micro-irrigation is but a small step towards
Khaled Ζaghloul serves as the general manager of
Rivulis Egypt
a larger picture of sustainable agriculture
and climate resilience. Fortifying soil
health, for example, can yield more carbon
sequestration from the atmosphere, increase
biodiversity, and promote more sustainable
food production.
Bringing in key players, such as farmers
and smallholders, are also vital to enabling
change. In 2022, Rivulis established a
customer financing division to expand its
financing solutions for their distributors and
farmers; the company had been cognizant
of the financial hurdles that farmers might
experience, as they are investing in a
technology that will pay-off only once their
harvest has been sold. For smallholders,
Rivulis has also partnered with Agriwise,
an India-based agri-financier supported
by Temasek Holdings and a sugar mill in
Maharashtra. The mill pays Agriwise and the
farmers pay back their loans directly through
the deduction of the cane harvest at the
factory, with the payback period for the farmer
being less than three years due to the yield
increase.
Zaghloul concluded by adding: “Irrigation
methods is only one aspect of the solution.
We will have to provide more comprehensive
solutions to farmers addressing fertiliser
usage and other sustainable farming
methods (such as cover crops, tillage, residue
management, etc). Moreover, this transition
can only go hand in hand with affordable
financing solutions to support farmers in this
transition. To succeed, it will require more
partnerships within our ecosystem between
agricultural input manufacturers, product
buyers and financiers.”
WATER & WASTEWATER ASIA | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023 25