Irrigation systems and their application in coffee growing

Irrigation systems in coffee production

Irrigation is a practice that is usually associated with vegetable farming. This is due to its high demand for water and its sensitivity to water stress compared to other crops. Coffee farming, likewise, can obtain significant benefits from the adoption of irrigation systems.

Although coffee is usually grown in areas with defined rainy seasons, it is not exempt from facing situations in which irrigation is a viable option.

An example is Brazilian coffee farming, which has been implementing these systems for several decades. Pedro points out that, in addition to Brazil, other Latin American countries began to experiment with this model since the 80s and 90s, when many plantations were hydrated through sprinkler irrigation, cannon application or drip irrigation.

Nery affirms that the percentage of Honduran coffee growers who adapt these systems in their coffee plantations is minimal. Meanwhile, its use is more common in vegetable gardens. A similar scenario is seen in Colombia, where more than 95% of coffee farming does not use irrigation and is totally dependent on rain.

According to the report The state of water and agriculture in the world, published by FAO in 2020, by 20 the irrigated area in Latin America was two million hectares, 7% of the total area that corresponds to 330 million hectares.