ICSE Class 10 Answered

Irrigation is required due to the following reasons:

Uncertainty and Uneven Distribution of Rainfall: In India, rainfall is highly irregular and uncertain. At times Monsoon arrives early and sometimes it comes too late. It also does not rain uniformly in all parts of the country.  In such a situation, farmers cannot totally depend upon rainfall and they therefore need other sources to irrigate their fields.

Nature of Soil: Some soil requires more water while some require less irrigation. For example, clayey soil has high moisture holding capacity and hence does not need intensive irrigation while sandy loamy soil needs extensive watering.

The nature of River: Many rivers in India are not perennial. Most of the rivers in central and south India have water only for four months during the Monsoon. Thus extensive irrigation system is required.

To Maximize Production: As the population of the country has increased manifold, the production of crops also needs to be enhanced to meet demands of the people. Hence advanced and reliable methods of irrigation are required.