Water is the planet's most valuable resource. Numerous reports and studies, including the United Nations World Water Development Report 2020, report on the continuously increasing demand for water.
Global water use has increased by a factor of six over the past 100 years and continues to grow steadily at a rate of about 1% per year (United Nations World Water Development Report 2020). The reasons for this include changes in consumption patterns, economic development and the global increase in population. As the population increases, so does the demand for food produced in agriculture, and agriculture needs a lot of water. The effects of climate change, such as droughts or floods, further exacerbate the need for water. Therefore, in a sustainable, efficient and future-proofed agricultural irrigation system, every drop of water is used sparingly and carefully.
NORMA Group supports various agricultural businesses with efficient, sustainable and water-saving irrigation systems or components
For many farmers, water-saving irrigation has top priority, as the water supply is often limited or regulated by statutory requirements to a certain maximum of water. If the water resources are used up, the fields can no longer be irrigated. Farmers around the world, therefore, need water-saving irrigation systems, for example, drip irrigation: Drip irrigation offers two benefits – first, it waters the plants near the roots and thus ensures that water is delivered precisely to the root zone. This reduces evaporation of water and promotes healthy plant growth. Second, drip irrigation systems are also less susceptible to leakage compared to traditional irrigation methods such as sprinklers. Globally, NORMA Group supports various agricultural businesses with efficient, sustainable and water-saving irrigation systems or several parts for irrigation system components.
Saving water with the right connection
In dry regions such as Australia, NORMA Group equips the irrigation system of a sandalwood plantation and a vineyard with COBRA clamps. The clamps are used at the connecting points between the drip lines, thus contributing to optimum irrigation and an increase in quality and yield. Furthermore, the clamps are highly resilient and minimize the number of repairs and the water loss at the connecting points. In the sandalwood plantation, many repairs are brought about by animals such as cockatoos and wallabies that live on the plantation. The points of the drip irrigation systems that are most prone to leakage are usually the connection points. Therefore, the animals try to damage them in order to get water. Because the COBRA clamps are so robust, the animals are no longer successful. At the vineyard, too, water loss could be significantly minimized by converting plastic ratchet clips that were particularly vulnerable to weather and defects to the COBRA clamps.
In dry regions such as Australia, NORMA Group equips the irrigation system of a sandalwood plantation and a vineyard with COBRA clamps
In addition to the COBRA clamps, other connection products also play an important role in irrigation systems in other regions of the world. In Florida for example, NORMA Group is supporting the water supply of a citrus farm with pinch clamps. Like many farmers in this region, the farmer uses the pinch clamps on poly tubing that supplies each row of trees from the mainline and submain. Here, too, the loss of water at the connection points is significantly minimized.
Sustainable irrigation in every season
Another important factor in sustainable irrigation is to keep the plants alive for as long as possible. In the winter season, freezing water can protect plants from frost damages. What sounds counterintuitive is a law of nature in action: heat of crystallization. The heat of crystallization, also known as the heat of solidification, is released when a substance changes its physical state from liquid to solid. This releases energy. In agriculture, this effect is used, for example, in fruit growing. If there is a risk of frost, the flowers or fruits are constantly sprinkled with water. The heat of crystallization released when the water freezes protects the plant parts from frost damage. One example is a strawberry farm in Florida which uses the NDS Clamp-it Saddles from the NORMA Group portfolio for their sprinkler irrigation system. When water from the sprinklers turns to ice, the heat released protects the plants from frost injury. As long as a thin layer of water is present, and constantly freezing, the temperature is kept above the critical point to protect the plant. The Clamp-it Saddles get applied to the lateral water lines to connect to sprinkler risers. Thus, the saddles enable optimal irrigation in winter and contribute to frost protection and the longevity of the plants.
NORMA Group is working on solutions for future challenges in order to transport water volumes in a more targeted and economical manner
Water is the most precious resource on the planet. The demand is increasing worldwide. At the same time, the requirements for sustainable, efficient and water-saving irrigation methods are increasing. NORMA Group is already working on solutions for future challenges in order to transport water volumes in an even more targeted and economical manner.
