Irrigation Glossary

Glossary
In this section an overview is given on the meaning of the main variables as used in these web-pages.
In general, the meaning of the variables is the same as used in FAO’s AQUASTAT-programme. The
irrigation areas reported on the irrigation map refer to the area defined below under “Area equipped
for irrigation” and shown in the following diagram:
Area under agricultural water management
Area equipped for irrigation Area with other forms of agricultural water management
Area equipped for Non-equipped cultivated wetlands Non-equipped flood

Equipped lowlands Spate irrigation
full/partial control irrigation and inland valley bottoms recession cropping
Surface Equipped wetlands and

irrigation inland valley bottoms
Water harvesting
Sprinkler Equipped flood

irrigation recession
In-situ soil moisture
management
Localized Other
irrigation
Unfortunately, an exception has to be made when statistics are derived from EUROSTAT since
EUROSTAT uses some similar variables names that have however a different meaning. These
differences are also described below in the last two definitions.
Cultivated area (ha)

Area under temporary (annual) and permanent crops. This refers to the physical area cultivated
meaning that land which is cultivated twice a year is counted only once.
Area equipped for irrigation: Full control surface irrigation (ha)

Surface irrigation systems are based on the principle of moving water over the land by simple gravity
in order to wet it, either partially or completely, before infiltration. They can be subdivided into
furrow, borderstrip and basin irrigation (including submersion irrigation of rice). Surface irrigation
does not refer to the method of transporting water from the source up to the field, which may be done
by gravity or by pumping. Manual irrigation using buckets or watering cans should also be put here.
Area equipped for irrigation: Full control sprinkler irrigation (ha)

A sprinkler irrigation system consists of a pipe network through which water moves under pressure
before being delivered to the crop via sprinkler nozzles. The system basically simulates rainfall in that
water is applied through overhead spraying. Therefore, these systems are also known as overhead
irrigation systems.
Area equipped for irrigation: Full control localized irrigation (ha)
Localized irrigation is a system where the water is distributed under low pressure through a piped
network, in a pre-determined pattern, and applied as a small discharge to each plant or adjacent to it.
There are three main categories: drip irrigation (where drip emitters are used to apply water slowly to
the soil surface), spray or microsprinkler irrigation (where water is sprayed onto the soil near
individual plants or trees) and bubbler irrigation (where a small stream of water is applied to flood
small basins or the soil adjacent to individual trees). To refer to localized irrigation, the following
terms are also sometimes used: micro-irrigation, trickle irrigation, daily flow irrigation, drop-
irrigation, sip irrigation and diurnal irrigation.
Area equipped for irrigation: Full control - total (ha)

This is the sum of surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation and localized irrigation. The text uses
indifferently the expressions “full control” and “full/partial control”.
Area equipped for irrigation: Equipped lowland areas (ha)

The land equipped for irrigation in lowland areas includes: (i) Cultivated wetland and inland valley
bottoms (IVB), which have been equipped with water control structures for irrigation and drainage
(intake, canals, etc.); (ii) Areas along rivers, where cultivation occurs making use of water from
receding floods and where structures have been built to retain the receding water; (iii) Developed
mangroves and equipped delta areas.
Area equipped for irrigation: Spate irrigation (ha)

Spate irrigation can also be referred to as floodwater harvesting. It is a method of random irrigation
using the floodwaters of a normally dry watercourse or riverbed (wadi). These systems are in general
characterized by a very large catchment upstream (200 ha - 50 km2) with a “catchment area: cultivated
area” ratio of 100:1 to 10 000:1. There are two types of floodwater harvesting or spate irrigation: 1)
floodwater harvesting within streambeds, where turbulent channel flow is collected and spread
through the wadi in which the crops are planted; cross-wadi dams are constructed with stones, earth, or
both, often reinforced with gabions; 2) floodwater diversion, where the floods - or spates - from the
seasonal rivers are diverted into adjacent embanked fields for direct application. A stone or concrete
structure raises the water level within the wadi to be diverted to the nearby cropping areas.
Area equipped for irrigation: total (ha)

Area equipped to provide water to crops. It includes areas equipped for full control irrigation,
equipped lowland areas, and areas equipped for spate irrigation. It does not include non-equipped
cultivated wetlands and inland valley bottoms or non-equipped flood recession cropping areas.
Area actually irrigated (ha)

The area which is actually irrigated at least once in a given year. Often, part of the equipped area is not
irrigated for various reasons such as lack of water, absence of farmers, land degradation, damage and
organizational problems. It only refers to physical areas, meaning that irrigated land that is cultivated
twice a year is counted once.
Irrigation potential (ha)

Area of land which is potentially irrigable. Country/regional studies assess this value according to
different methods, for example some consider only land resources suitable for irrigation, others
consider land resources plus water availability, others include in their assessment economic aspects
(such as distance and/or difference in elevation between the suitable land and the available water) or
environmental aspects, etc. Whatever the case, it includes the area already under agricultural water
management.
Irrigable area (ha)
This term is used in the EUROSTAT statistics with the following meaning: The maximum area which
could be irrigated in the reference year using the equipment and the quantity of water normally
available on the holding. The meaning is therefore similar to the term area equipped for irrigation as
used elsewhere in the report. However, the total irrigable area may differ from the sum of the areas
provided with irrigation equipment since the equipment may be mobile and therefore utilisable on
several fields in the course of a harvest year; capacity may also be restricted by the quantity of water
available or by the period within which mobility is possible.
Irrigated area (ha)

In general this term refers in the report to the area equipped for irrigation. EUROSTAT however uses
this term in the following meaning: Area of crops which have actually been irrigated at least once
during the 12 months prior to the survey date. The definition used by EUROSTAT is therefore similar
to the area actually irrigated as used elsewhere in the report.

Irrigation Glossary

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Glossary

Area under agricultural water management

Area equipped for Non-equipped cultivated wetlands Non-equipped flood

Surface Equipped wetlands and

Sprinkler Equipped flood

Cultivated area (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: Full control surface irrigation (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: Full control sprinkler irrigation (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: Full control - total (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: Equipped lowland areas (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: Spate irrigation (ha)

Area equipped for irrigation: total (ha)

Area actually irrigated (ha)

Irrigation potential (ha)

Irrigated area (ha)

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