Channel to field irrigation
In eastern India especially Odisha, canal irrigation is dominant in
which water is flooded from field to field where farmers have less control over
the flow of water. The water flows continuously through the fields, and the
water distribution is quite irregular, with heavy percolation loss of applied
irrigation water. The inclusion of field channels in existing flood irrigation
system provides better control over water resulting in 15% saving of irrigation water
(Fig. 3.8). The irrigation efficiency of this system is around 50%. However,
channel to field method can achieve a considerable increase in water use
efficiency (17% higher) and grain yield (7-8% higher) of rice comparable to
farmer's traditional practice of field to field irrigation.