Drip Irrigation for Cash Crop Production: Results of a Trial in the Jhikhu Khola Watershed, Nepal

摘要

The warm sub-tropical climate in the lower parts of the Jhikhu Khola Watershed (JKW) is suitable for vegetable production - the average monthly temperature ranges from 5 to 33 deg C, and rainfall averages about 1200 mm each year (Merz Dhakal and Dangol 2OOO). The typical rainfall pattern, in which about 80% of the annual rainfall occurs from June to September, leaves the rest of the year virtually dry. Further winter rainfall is sparse and very unreliable. During the dry period some farmers extract water from the Jhikhu Khola and its tributaries to irrigate potato and tomato fields. The parcels on rainfed agricultural lands do not have access to irrigation water and therefore remain fallow. Other farmers who have access to springs cultivate cash crops, mainly tomatoes, on small upland plots through bucket irrigation.