For water-scarce countries like South Africa, irrigation is critical, and with the majority of electricity being carbon emission intense, irrigation is an important contributor to a farm’s carbon footprint. Indeed, according to Confronting Climate Change industry benchmark reports, electricity consumption for irrigation is the largest source of farm-level carbon emissions. Therefore, improving water management on farms not only has the potential to save water, but also helps reduce operating costs and carbon emissions.
To help farmers access these savings, Koos Bouwer, of Koos Bouwer Consulting, provides his insight into the opportunities for savings obtained during an assessment of irrigation pumping systems on fruit farms. The full case study is available here: Koos Bouwer Case Study