Problems encountered with irrigation:
Irrigation essential to be able to produce off-season (except during rainy season) and thus supply the customers throughout the year with volumes and constant quality.
In use, the operating cost of drip irrigation on large areas is quite high: need for qualified workforce; annual renewal of ducts; installation and maintenance; significant clogging problem due to the quality of the water used (pumping of surface water, “backwater” from the Senegal river) which reduces the performance of the drip irrigation system…

Technical solution proposed by OTECH:
Central pivot equipped with screen filters and DOSITECH control cabinet for programming irrigation by sector for the irrigation of different crops under the same machine.

During the implementation of this project, how were the various obstacles (human, technical, etc.) overcome:
Human:

• Training courses for irrigation managers at OTECH and user training during technical days on the farm

• Detailed machine classification for better communication

  Technical:

• Management of a growing fleet of machines (30 pivots today) facilitated with remote management

• Management of wetlands with localised automatic sprinkler shutdown (VRI)

How does the system work today? Well
AN ANECDOTE: The workers often prefer to go and do manual work in the fields irrigated by the pivots rather than those irrigated by drip because there is much less dust; the leaves of the crops are clean - the sand and the dust being fixed to the ground thanks to sprinkler irrigation.

Client satisfaction: Well and ready to install other OTECH machines for future farm extensions…

Photos of the irrigation system