Mitigating restriction to crop production due to Covid-19 Pandemic and climatic uncertainty- A case for irrigation and a novel capillary irrigation system

Assess to food in the right quantity and quality is essential to healthy life, and peaceful co-existence. Crop production is critical lo global food security and socioeconomic health. Soil water availability  determines cropping season  and cycles, and water stress  can cause a significant  reduction  in  yield  even when other  factors  affecting  crop  production  are adequate. Nigerian crop production is primarily rainfed and are prone to risk due to rainfall uncertainty. Restriction to movement and input supply due to Covid-19 pandemic further depressed cropping activities and affordable food supply. Irrigation has the potential to extend the growing season and consequently reduce crop production deficit and can also ensure water supply when rainfall is inadequate. In areas where annual rainfall far exceeds annual evapotranspiration, there is still the need for supplementary irrigation for optimum yield. We developed a novel irrigation device based on the principle of capillarity which has been tested and adopted for the cultivation of vegetables. Study indicated between 20.5 and 30.5 increase in yield of amaranth and it's found to be significant (P<0.05). Yields were found to increase significantly even when rainfall was considered normal, underscoring the need for supplementary irrigation in the southern Nigeria. With reduction in the frequency of farm visit for irrigation, particularly during the dry season, the yield advantage and the potential to reduce risk of crop failure in the face of climatic uncertainties, this and other irrigation techniques with comparatively high water used efficiency are suggested.