The Importance of Variable Rate Irrigation in Lowering Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Agriculture Sector: A Review

Abstract

Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change, creating more difficult challenges. Presently, the agricultural sector contributes to between 19 and 29% of all global greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the main types of greenhouse gases generated by the agricultural industry. Energy use before and after farms, as well as shifting ground carbon stocks above and below as a result of changes in land use, are major sources of CO2 emissions. There has been a trend in recent years toward lowering GHG emissions in the agriculture sector. Precision agriculture Technologies (PAT) address the field’s temporal and spatial variability to maximize the usage of agricultural inputs (i.e., irrigation, fuel, and fertilizers). The PAT can keep or increase productivity while lowering GHG emissions from agricultural activities, whereas the variable rate irrigation (VRI) approach is helpful in this scenario. Recent research shows that VRI has a significant potential to mitigate GHG. The present study reviews research related to VRI that address the reduction in GHG emissions.

Keywords

• agriculture
• precision agriculture technologies
• variable rate irrigation
• drip irrigation
• water management