“While only 20% of the world’s farmland is irrigated, it produces 40% of our food supply.” Irrigation is a major part in any major agricultural production here in the United States and around the world.

Asia has the largest percent of irrigated land, making up 68% , and America makes up 17%. The amount of irrigated land has increased dramatically, going from 250 million acres in 1950 to about 700 million acres in 2000, this is a 280% increase which is astounding.

There are many different forms of irrigation that are used throughout the world and throughout the United States. For example, in California 43% of irrigation is gravity irrigation, compared to more efficient methods like drip irrigation.

There are many factors that influence type of irrigation that should be used and how effective that type of irrigation is. One of the most important aspects is the soil type. Sand cannot hold onto much liquid because of the size of the particles, while on the other hand loam can hold a lot of liquid because of how dense the particles are packed together.

I was not aware of how important and complex irrigation is in regards to agriculture. In Delaware we are lucky enough to have a decent amount of rainfall that allows us to water our crops without the use of irrigation all the time. However we are even more fortunate to live in a place that has easily accessible water sources that make irrigating farmland much more convenient and cost efficient. While I do not specifically want to go into the agriculture industry, it is important to have an understanding of where our food is coming from and how much effort and thought goes into the process of growing our food, and one of those aspects is irrigation.