294 Sustainable Farming
Use Water Wisely
Every farmer needs water. If you live in a dry place, the best way to conserve
water is to grow plants native to your area or plants that need water only
during the rainy season. Green manure and mulch help hold water in the soil,
and contour barriers save water by keeping it from running off. Other methods
to save water on the farm are:
• drip irrigation from
pipes laid on or
under the ground,
which uses much
less water and does
less damage to soil
than water poured
onto the ground from
above.
Small holes in pipes
or hoses allow water
to drip into the
ground slowly.
• planting shade trees to protect plants and soil from drying out in the sun.
Some trees bring water up from deep in the ground for shallow-rooted
plants to use.
• planting crops close together to shade soil so it does not dry out.
The air between plants close together holds a little moisture
so plants do not wilt. This can be done with green
manure or by planting a variety of crops together in
the same field.
• strip-cropping (growing different crops together
along contour lines) to help crops share moisture.
A ground-cover crop is planted uphill from the
contour line, and a crop that gives only a little
ground cover is planted below it. Water collects on
the ground cover and flows to the downhill crops.
Strip-cropping
• reusing wash water to water gardens near the house (see page 100).
• protecting water catchment areas to provide more water for people and
crops (see Chapter 9).
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012