South African Farmer Invents 'Tree Hog' for More Efficient Irrigation

As growers throughout South African continue to struggle with the ongoing drought, one farmer has developed a simple solution he says can provide huge savings on water and electricity. Western Cape-based Louis Loubser grows peaches, citrus and wine grapes on his 55 hectares of land, but when the farm’s irrigation channel broke more than two years ago, he was left without water.

After trying various solutions, he discovered that by using a plastic bag to cover the soil area he could minimize evaporation, but it was a challenge to irrigate. “Then my mother bought a tree in a plastic pot. Without her knowledge, I started cutting and grinding.

Eventually I enclosed it around irrigation sprinkler and did a test run,” he told Fresh Fruit Portal. “The results were insane, but the angles and distribution of the water was all wrong and uneven. So then I started with box and plastic materials, and started to get the correct angles I was looking for.”

http://www.freshfruitportal.com/news/2017/02/09/south-african-farmer-develops-tree-hog-unit-efficient-irrigation/

Iain Buchanan

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