Brazil: Drip irrigation cuts water & pesticides on tomato farms
Drip irrigation saves water, reduces pesticide use, cuts costs and boosts yields. Now Unilever Brazil has introduced the system to tomato farmers in central Brazil.
How the system works
Tomato plants need lots of water. Drip irrigation uses tubes to deliver small quantities of water and nutrients straight to the plants' roots, leading to less wastage and evaporation than with systems like overhead sprayers, and reducing water use by up to 30%.
Drip irrigation also helps create the best growing conditions. Soil doesn't become soaked which helps prevent mould, so fungicides can be reduced by as much as 50%. The use of some pesticides can also be cut by 25% because they are delivered directly to the roots.
Higher yields per hectare
Drip irrigation can increase tomato yields by up to 40% - and higher yields per hectare make it possible to source more fruit from fields closer to factories, significantly reducing haulage and fuel costs and cutting emissions.
What does it cost?
We provide technical support to help farmers convert to drip irrigation, as it's more complicated and expensive to install than other systems. We also work with equipment suppliers to train growers on how to get the best results from the system. These expenses are offset by increased yields and reduced chemical costs. And of course there's also a long-term benefit to the environment from using less crop protection chemicals.
