If there is no rain, rain this family no longer worries because of drip irrigation kits from ASAP

A subsistence farmers in rural Africa depends entirely on annual rainfall. If rain is consistent from October to March food will be available for the family for the entire year. With a home drip irrigation kit, families become self-reliant - no longer victimized by weather patterns.

The Netafim drip irrigation kit that ASAP provides is a simple piece of equipment, resembling two elevated plastic refuse bins with 100 meters of tubing. The advantages are numerous:

• Drip irrigation uses precious water more efficiently - reducing runoff and evaporation and increasing percolation, or evaporation
• Reduces water contact with crop leaves, stems, and fruit, reducing diseases
• Increased yield and quality
• Agricultural chemicals can be applied more efficiently with drip irrigation
• Precise application of nutrients can reduce fertilizer costs and nitrate losses can be reduced
• Nutrient applications can be better timed to meet plants' needs

ASAP field officer teaching rural women how to lay out the drip irrigation lines

There are now 531 families in rural Zimbabwe growing enough food to feed their extended family year-round with confidence. These recipient families were selected by the IS&L Community Facilitators and met the following criteria in order to be selected.

• Physically able to fill the drip kit basins
• Within walking distance of a year round water source
• Caring for orphans or PLWA
• Able and willing to attend training sessions to learn to use and maintain the Home Drip Irrigation Kit.

The drip irrigation kits improve the effectiveness of gardening by producing more crops while simultaneously using less water and labor. With agriculture skill training from ASAP, a 10 meter x 10 meter home garden will produce nearly 600 kgs of vegetables per year, which will often leave surplus to sell after filling the needs of the family. With the help of ASAP and a simple drip irrigation kit each family now can look within themselves and find independence, pride and even a little extra income.

Joseph Miti points out the successful crops that the drip irrigation kit in the background made possible

By providing a single drip kit with training, ASAP provides a family with the knowledge and tools to meet their own nutritional needs and improve household food security.

To read more about USAID's drip irrigation success story in Zimbabwe click here.

For more details about drip irrigation is please click here.