Question

Hey friends❤❤ plz explain about bamboo drip irrigation system..

Answer 1

Bamboo Drip Irrigation System:- For more than 200 years, the farmers of North-Eastern part of India, in the state of Meghalaya, have been using an indigenous technique of bamboo drip irrigation to irrigate their plantation crops. These farmers of Khasi and Jayantia hill areas have developed this system of tapping springs and stream water to grow betal leaves, black pepper and arecanut.

The bamboo drip irrigation system is based on gravity and the steep slopes facilitate in implementing it. water from an uphill source is tapped and brought to the plantation by a main bamboo channel. Usually these water sources are far off from the plantations and the main bamboo channel runs hundreds of metres and in some cases even few kilometers. the water is then regulated through a complex bamboo network of secondary and tertiary channels to all the parts and corners of the plantation, right up to the bottom of the hill. These bamboo networks usually have 4-5 diversion stages before water is delivered at the base of the plant. 18-20 liters per minute of water from the main channel gets reduced to 10-80 drops per minute at the end of the network. After this long journey, the water tickles or

drips drop by drop at the base of the plant.

The cost involved in building the system is minimal. Bamboo is available freely in this region. Usually the farmer himself sets up the system in his plantation with the help of only 1-2 labourers.

Answer 2

Bamboos of varying diameters are used for laying the channels. About a third of the outer casing in length and internodes of bamboo pieces have to be removed while fabricating the system. Later, the bamboo channel is smoothened by using a dao, a type of local axe which is a round chisel fitted with a long handle. Other components are small pipes and channels of varying sizes used for diversion and distribution of water from the main channel. About four to five stages of distribution are involved from the point of the water diversion to the application point.

The system is found in the ‘war’ areas of Meghalaya but is more prevalent in the ‘war’ Jaintia hills than in the ‘war’ Khasi hills. This system is also widely prevalent in the Muktapur region bordering Bangladesh. The region has very steep slopes and a rocky terrain. Diverting water through ground channels is not possible. The land used for cultivation is owned by the clan, and is allocated for cultivation by the clan elders on payment of a one-time rent. The clan elders have the prerogative to decide who should get what and how much land. Once the rent has been paid and the land taken on lease for cultivation, the lease period operates as long as the plants last. In case of betel leaf cultivation, the lease can last for a very long time since the plants are not lopped off after one harvest. But once the plants die, for whatever reason, the land reverts back to the clan, and can only be leased out again after paying new rent.

The water for betel leaf plants is diverted from streams by temporary diversions into very intricate bamboo canal systems. Betel leaf is planted in March before the monsoon. It is only during winter that irrigation water is required, and the bamboo pipe system is used. Hence, these bamboo systems are made ready before the onset of the winter, and during the monsoon no water is diverted into them.