Characterization of agricultural production systems under the irrigation channel Peribuela province of Imbabura, Ecuador

Abstract

With the implementation of the Peribuela irrigation channel, different agricultural production systems were established, based on the irrigation systems used, with which a base line of information is established on the peculiarities of the production systems. The objective of the study was to characterize the irrigation channel and the production systems in the community of Peribuela, aerial photography was used by a drone and descriptive analysis using geographic information systems with the software Argis 10.3. In addition, the interview technique was applied to key actors in the irrigation channel. As results, the most relevant in the infrastructure of the irrigation canal is its concrete coating with a length of 5,3 km and a slope of 26% that generates a flow per farm of 15 l/s. In production systems, monocultures stand out: tree tomato, corn and beans, which represents 69% of the total area benefited by the canal; there is low crop rotation and irrigation systems are by gravity. These production systems degrade the soil and there is no irrigation water optimization causing a negative impact on the environment. The agricultural production systems in the community are not sustainable.