Irrigation practices

Member States with less than 2 % irrigable area of the utilized agricultural area (UAA), and with no NUTS 2 level regions with at least 5 % of irrigable area of the UAA , shall be exempted from carrying out the ‘Irrigation’ module. Generally, irrigation refers merely on the use of water for irrigation and not on water usage for frost protection or low temperature control. To prevent systematic errors in data collection, crops under glass are assumed to be fully irrigable and irrigated. Therefore, the irrigable/irrigated area for crops under glass is collected under core and it does not need to be collected in this module. Moreover, variables about the usage of water or the facility put in place to irrigate (e.g technical equipment and methods) relate to both outdoor and crops under glass. 

Table 8 – When to collect irrigation module data

Availability of irrigation

Average outdoor UAA irrigated in the last 3 years (UAAT_IT_AVG)

Average area of outdoor crops which have been irrigated in the last 3 years. Kitchen gardens and rice are assumed to be always irrigated and therefore these variables do not need to be additionally compiled as they are collected under CORE. In the same analogy, see Figure 40. 

Total outdoor UAA irrigated (UAAT_IT)

Area of crops which have actually been irrigated at least once during the reference period. Kitchen gardens and rice are assumed to be always irrigated and therefore these variables do not need to be additionally compiled as they are collected under CORE. Hence, it is crucial to note that the variable UAAT_IT should include kitchen gardens and rice gathered under CORE as they are part of total outdoor UAA area irrigated.  

Figure 40 displays a broad overview of the necessary elements to assemble UAAT_IT. Although, UAAT_IB and UAAT_IT share the same concept, the outcome can be different as UAAT_IB defines the potential of areas that can be irrigated and UAAT_IT embraces the real irrigated area. 

Figure 40 – Total cultivated area irrigated (UAA_IT)

To avoid any confusion about the data collection and transmission of the variable UAAT_IT, an example below might further illustrate the main elements to be collected: 

Example:

• Farm_123 with total outdoor UAA of 6 ha composed of 1 ha kitchen gardens, 2 ha permanent crops outdoor and 3 ha root crops which does not irrigate all areas.
• Farm_345 with total outdoor UAA of 9.5 ha composed of 0.5 kitchen gardens, 4 ha rice, 2 ha permanent grassland, 3 ha cereals for the production of grain which does not irrigate all areas.

Volume of water (WTRVOL_M3)

Cubic meters of water used for irrigation in the reference period. Note that the volume of water refers to both outdoor and crops under glass. Imagine that a farm has only crops under glass. Hence, UAAT_IT=0, however WTRVOL_M3 can take any positive continuous value between 0 and infinitive or if the country opt for not reporting the volume of water for a farm, "-8" should be used as a category. 

Irrigation Methods

In case of overlapping irrigation methods on the same area, only the predominant method is to be indicated to avoid double counting. 

Surface irrigation (SURF)

Hectares irrigated using surface irrigation, a system where the land is partially or completely covered with water, regardless of the method of transporting the water from the source to the field (which can be by gravity or by pumping). Includes manual irrigation with buckets or watering cans<a href="#cans" aria-describedby="footnote-label" id="cans-ref"></a>. Includes also partially controlled irrigation (controlling flood water to water crops (spate irrigation) or to equipped lowlands, such as water control methods in wetland areas and inland valley bottoms, flood recession cultivation).

Sprinkler irrigation (SPLR)

Hectares irrigated with sprinklers (also known as overhead irrigation system), a system where pipe networks carry water under pressure, which is delivered to the crop via nozzles, simulating rainfall.

Drip irrigation (DRIP)

Hectares of drip irrigation, a method where the water is distributed under low pressure through a network of pipes, in a pre-determined pattern, and is directly applied to the area of influence of the plant root. Includes micro-sprinkler irrigation and bubbler irrigation.

Sources of irrigation water

Respondents should indicate all sources of irrigation used on the farm. In case of intermediary sources, only the most primary source should be indicated. Intermediary sources relates to "chained" water sources in which for instance a farm pumps ground water to a lake in the farm (surface water) and then only the first source needs to be recorded.

Ground water

Ground water is water stored underground in aquifers and is usually pumped from wells.

Surface water

Surface water is water found on the earth's surface, such as in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes, wetlands or oceans.

On-farm ground water (ON_FRM_GW)

The ground water source is located on the farm.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

On-farm and off-farm surface water (ON_OF_FRM_SW)

The source of water is surface water regardless of whether it is located on the farm or outside the farm.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Off-farm water from water supply networks (OF_FRM_WSN)

The water is withdrawn from public/private piped distribution network.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Treated wastewater (TWW)

The water has undergone a wastewater treatment.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Other sources (OTH_WAT_SRC)

Other sources of water used for irrigation on the farm (such as collected rainwater) n.e.c.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Payment terms for irrigation water (PAY_WTR)

Respondents should select only one of the following:

• NO_PAY - Did not pay for water
• PAY_FEE_AREA - Paid a fee based on the area of land irrigated
• PAY_FEE_VOL - Paid a fee based on the volume of water
• PAY_OTH - Other paid modality n.e.c. (Seasonal varying tariff (charges either flat-rate, volumetric or quotas vary with changing water availability over the course of the year), mixed tariffs (charges may combine an area- or crop-based flat-rate with a volumetric element) or quotas (quotas at fixed charges, quotas and marginal volumetric pricing) )

Technical parameters of the irrigation equipment

Reservoirs (RES)

The farm has a water reservoir which was used during the reference period.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Water reservoir can be defined as a manmade or natural storage area where a fixed amount of water is stored that can be drawn off for irrigation. Unlike rivers, water reservoirs do not fluctuate greatly over short time periods aiming on catching rainwater during wet season or impounding water from rivers during periods of higher flows that allows using the stored water in dry season for irrigation. If water is stored and closed-off in the ditch, then it can be considered as a water reservoir.

Maintenance status of the irrigation system (MNT_IRS)

In the past three years, the holding (respondents should select only one option)

• NONE - Did not perform any maintenance to the irrigation system nor to the distribution network
• REGULAR - Only performed regular annual maintenance to the irrigation system (including to the distribution network)
• MAJOR - Made major repairs or rehabilitations to the irrigation system (including to the distribution network)

Pumping station (PUMP)

The holding has an owned/rented pumping station (i.e mobile or fixed), regardless of whether it is centrifugal (above ground), deep-well turbine, submersible, propeller or other n.e.c.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Water metering system (WMS)

Respondents should select only one of the following

• MANUAL - Weir or flume (manual readings)
• AUTOMATIC - Automatic system
• BOTH - Both
• NONE - None

Irrigation controller (IR_CTRL)

Respondents should select only one of the following

• MANUAL - Manual
• AUTOMATIC - Automatic
• PRECISION - Precision irrigation (with or without soil moisture sensors)
• COMBINED - Combination of methods
• NONE - None

Fertigation system (FRTG)

Presence of a fertigation system on the farm, for the injection of fertilisers used for water amendments into the irrigation system.

• 1 - Yes
• 0 - No

Crops irrigated during a 12 month period

Crops irrigated during a 12 month period refer to the area irrigated outdoors in the previous 12 months, using surface irrigation (MIRR004), sprinkler irrigation (MIRR005) or drip irrigation (MIRR006) methods described above.

Cereals for the production of grain

Cereals for the production of grain (including seed) excluding grain maize, corn-cob-mix and rice (C0000TXC1500T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated cereals for the production of grain (including seed) excluding grain maize, corn-cob-mix and rice).

Grain maize and corn-cob-mix (C1500T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated grain maize and corn-cob-mix.

Dry pulses and protein crops for the production of grain

Dry pulses and protein crops for the production of grain (including seed and mixtures of cereals and pulses) (P0000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated dry pulses and protein crops for the production of grain (including seed and mixtures of cereals and pulses).

ROOT crops

Potatoes (including seed potatoes) (R1000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated potatoes (including seed potatoes).

Sugar beet (excluding seed) (R2000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated sugar beet (excluding seed).

industrial crops

Rape and turnip rape seeds (I1110T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated rape and turnip rape seeds.

Sunflower seed (I1120T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated sunflower seed.

Fibre crops (I2000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated fibre crops.

Plants harvested green from arable land

Plants harvested green from arable land (G0000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated plants harvested green from arable land.

Other arable land crops

Fresh vegetables (including melons), strawberries grown in rotation with non- horticultural crops (open field) (V0000_S0000TO_IT)

Hectares of irrigated fresh vegetables (including melons), strawberries grown in rotation with non- horticultural crops (open field).

Other irrigated crops on arable land outdoors (ARAT_IT_OTH)

Hectares of irrigated other irrigated crops on arable land outdoors.

Figure 41 – Other irrigated crops on arable land outdoors (ARAT_IT_OTH)

Permanent grassland

Permanent grassland (J0000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated permanent grassland.

Permanent CROPS

Fruit, berries and nuts (excluding citrus fruits, grapes and strawberries) (F0000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated fruit, berries and nuts (excluding citrus fruits, grapes and strawberries).

Citrus fruits (T0000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated citrus fruits.

Olives (O1000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated olives.

Vineyards (W1000T_IT)

Hectares of irrigated vineyards.

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    <h2 class="visually-hidden" id="footnote-label">Footnotes</h2>
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      <li id="cans"> It is understood for manual irrigation to be applied mainly on small areas (e.g kitchen gardens) and not expected to be employed on large parcels. Member States for which manual watering is relevant in large parcels, should include a reference to this in the metadata </a>. <a href="#cans-ref" aria-label="Back to content">↩</a></li>
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