Training Requirements for Protected Vegetable Farmers Who Use Well Water in The Field of Drip Irrigation in Mandali District, Diyala Province

• 1Saad Obaid Fayyadh

  Author

This research aims to identify the training requirements of protected vegetable farmers who use well water in drip irrigation, through four main areas: installation and operation of the system, system maintenance, fertigation and nutrient management, and well water quality. The study relied on a questionnaire consisting of 38 items that was administered to a sample of 50 greenhouse vegetable farmers in Mandali Sub-District, Diyala Province. The data were analyzed using weighted means to determine the level of training needs. The results revealed a high level of training need among farmers across all studied areas, as all items exceeded the theoretical mean. The findings also showed that well water quality was the most important area, with a high overall weighted mean, reflecting the impact of water salinity and its components on system efficiency and plant health. The results further indicated that the most critical training needs were related to valve installation and network design, maintenance of filters and emitters, estimation of crop water requirements, and developing appropriate fertilization programs according to water quality. In addition, there was a clear deficiency in farmers’ knowledge regarding the effects of mixing well water with fertilizers and pesticides. The study concluded that there is a need to develop specialized training programs focusing on the technical aspects of drip irrigation systems and water quality management, as well as strengthening the role of agricultural extension in transferring applied knowledge in greenhouses. This would contribute to developing farmers’ skills and improving the efficiency of drip irrigation use.

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