Economic impacts of using modern irrigation techniques in Diyala Governorate

Abstract

Water resources are the basic and determining strategic element for agricultural production and sustainable agricultural development, so it is important to work to achieve the highest efficiency in their uses. The study dealt with measuring and analyzing the effects and economic returns of using modern irrigation techniques in Diyala Governorate, which suffers from fluctuations in the annual and seasonal water revenues of the Diyala River, and a large deficit in its water balance. The preservation depends on the surface irrigation system to irrigate various agricultural crops. These are old traditional methods that consume large amounts of water, as an amount of (50% - 60%) of the water is wasted and field losses result from leaching and evaporation, especially in irrigated agriculture, in addition to Its negative impact on soil properties and

agricultural productivity.

 The study concluded that the largest percentage of water revenues in the governorate is exploited by the agricultural sector. The amount of water used to irrigate agricultural crops using traditional approved methods during the 2022-2023 agricultural season exceeded (1778101310) m3, at a rate of 59% of the rate of water revenue reaching Governorate, amounting to (3) billion/m3, and this percentage is very large, compared to the use of modern techniques in irrigation (spraying and drip), as it provides a large amount of water estimated at (640,729,940) m3, i.e. 36% of the total water allocated for agricultural production. During the same season, the efficiency of sprinkler irrigation may reach 70% and drip irrigation may reach 95%. This amount of water can be used to increase the area of ​​agricultural land in the governorate, as it can irrigate lands amounting to (309,780) dunams. Hence, an increase in agricultural productivity of up to 100%. In addition to the economic return on