Irrigation proposal for farms in the Chariguiña sector of the San Antonio de Cumbe neighborhood, Saraguro canton, Loja province

Abstract

Family farming is a strategy for food security, generation of agricultural employment, poverty alleviation, conservation of natural resources and ancestral knowledge; In this context and to take advantage of the water and soil in the Chariguiña sector of the San Antonio de Cumbe parish, a sprinkler irrigation system was designed for 0.5 ha of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and 0.5 ha of grass (Cynodon dactylon); considering the hydrophysical characteristics of the soil and agronomic and hydraulic factors. For the potato crop, and irrigation lamina of 27.32 mm was obtained and for pasture 28.68 mm; therefore, an irrigation frequency of seven days and an irrigation time of six hours were established. The primary, secondary, or multiple and lateral hydraulic networks with nominal diameters of 3", 3" and 1 1⁄2", respectively. Water is captured from the Chariguiña Creek, with a hardness of 1.77 mgCaCO3/l, which is classified as soft, salinity 0.017 dS/m, pH 7.39, alkalinity 25 mg/l, sodium absorption ratio 0.52, residual sodium carbonate less than 1.25 meq/l and total solids of 53 mg/l; parameters that define the quality of irrigation water in optimal conditions to promote crop growth without damaging the soil and ensure the proper functioning of the irrigation system. The cost of installing 1.00 ha of sprinkler irrigation is $3,705.14, an investment expected to be recovered in six months.