Changes

The International Development Enterprise (IDE) of the USA has also designed and tested a bucket system. The IDE bucket drip irrigation system consists of a bucket, a valve, a filter, an end cap and a 10-m long 12-mm diameter lateral line fitted with 26 micro-tubes, 13 on each side. All the pipes are pre-fitted and packed in a small box. The 13 micro-tube connections are spread over the length of the drip lateral at a spacing of 0.75 cm. Water from the bucket flows out like a small stream from all 26 micro-tubes and spreads out in a circular pattern. Four plants are planted in each of the circles and therefore a total of 104 plants can be watered by the IDE bucket system. The valve is used for flow regulation—giving the advantage that the bucket can be filled beforehand and irrigation started when required. The end cap is used to close the end of the lateral line.

There is a growing demand for bucket kits. For example, Chapin bucket kits are reported to be in use in over 80 countries world wide and the demand is growing fast. By 2001, more than 5,000 kits had been sold by KARI to Kenyan farmers who have adopted the bucket drip irrigation system. It has been shown that plants that are watered using the bucket system have higher yields.

'''System components'''<br>

# Connect to the bucket with the snap-in collar provided at the bottom of the bucket.

* [http://www.ideorg.org/OurTechnologies/DripIrrigation.aspx International Development Enterprise.]

* [http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Other/Reports/PDF/Water_for_wealth_and_food_security.pdf Water for wealth and food security: Supporting farmer-driven investments in agricultural water management]. 2012 study by AgWater Solutions.

* Sijali, Isaya V. [http://www.samsamwater.com/library.php?serie=RELMA%20Technical%20Handbook%20Series DRIP IRRIGATION: Options for smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa.] RELMA, 2001.