Preface

Irrigation and drainage play a key role in the success and productivity of on-farm agriculture. Good quality water is a prime mover of agriculture and farming. Approximately more than 80% of available freshwater reserves are utilized to irrigate farmlands to produce food and fibers. The deficiency in available freshwater has intensified due to climate change and population growth, which is devastating the agriculture sector. The global commitment to the scholar-coined term "Day Zero – Water & Food" urges researchers to explore advanced irrigation techniques and/or management strategies for effectively utilizing and conserving the freshwater at farms. Consequently, this book presents state-of-the-art research and review studies related to irrigation methods, irrigation management, groundwater recharging techniques, rainwater harvesting, and computer intelligence for developing smart irrigation.

*Irrigation and Drainage - Recent Advances* consists of fifteen chapters that present novel concepts, recent advancements, and management strategies. Chapter 1 discusses the significance of Agrovoltaic energy for smart irrigation. Chapter 2 presents key findings on sustainable irrigation management strategies for acquiring higher yields. Chapter 3 presents a comprehensive review of groundwater recharging techniques, providing critical insights into governance and policy optimization. Chapter 4 explores advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) for developing smart irrigation systems. Chapter 5 discusses rainwater harvesting methods for sustainable agriculture. Chapter 6 examines how to reuse agriculture drainage and improve water quality through collaborative wireless sensor networks. Chapter 7 presents a case study of Kendal Indonesia and how the city has worked to improve its tertiary drainage networks to increase the cropping index. Chapter 8 describes several smart irrigation scheduling approaches that regulate freshwater demand according to field requirements. Chapter 9 explores the impact of irrigation methods on crop production. Chapter 10 discusses the effect of Irrigation depths and salinity levels on the growth and production of forage palm Orelha de Elefante Mexicana. Chapter 11 explores the performance of an anaerobic filter for treating wastewater for reuse in vegetable irrigation. Chapter 12 provides the details of a theoretical approach for optimizing the irrigation of rice fields. Chapter 13 proposes and discusses a novel idea for utilizing existing agricultural lands for the tri-benefits of obtaining food, creating solar energy, and controlling irrigation water supplies using an artificial intelligence approach. Chapter 14 discusses the challenges encountered by the irrigation sector in Mediterranean climatic conditions. Finally, Chapter 15 discusses the impacts of irrigation frequencies on the nutrient value and growth of agricultural produce.

The editors are pleased to share the recent progress of Irrigation and drainage technologies, methods, and management strategies. We believe this book will be useful not only for agricultural engineers but also for associated agricultural and water resource scientists. Finally, we would like to thank the authors for their valuable contributions.
