Be A Drip

New [for the Uspantán area] agricultural technology is being tried out with Higinio Quinilla, a bean farmer in the area. That is drip irrigation. Each year because of deforestation there is less and less spring water available to irrigate with sprinklers.

Higinio, using drip irrigation, can now irrigate 4 times as much area with the same amount of water. And he does not have to move the sprinklers every 4 hours. To water his beans all he has to do is open the valves. Also he can apply the right amount of fertilizer at optimum times to improve the yields just by opening the valves.

Higinio is applying potassium to his month old beans you see in the background. He gives his beans 'food' every 3 days.

Higinio and his home grown work crew [he has 10 children] are drilling holes in the main tubes.

Then 30 meter long polyethylene hoses with a small drip hole every 18 inches are connected to these main tubes which are 43 inches apart. The base fertilizer mixture is applied in shallow trenches underneath each hose.

Then the French green bean seeds are planted in rows 4 inches on each side of the hoses.

These month old beans are growing very well.

In a month from now Antonio and Tomasa will be picking these beans every 3 days.

Another job that Tomasa has is to cook lunch for her father and brothers when they are working in the field. She is in the outdoor 'kitchen'.

We will keep you updated as to whether this new system of irrigation yields better results for Higinio and his family.

To see more on agriculture development in the area click here.

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