Optimization of water use in the Gorutuba Irrigation District, Minas Gerais (Brazil) using the linear programming model.
Carvalho D. F. de, Soares A. A., Ribeiro C. A. A. S., Sediyama G. C., Pruski F. F.
Author Affiliation: Depto. de Engenharia/UFRRJ, CEP 23851 - 970, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil.
Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental 4 : 203-209
Abstract : Research was undertaken to select crops and planting dates to maximize farmers' income in the Gorutuba Irrigation District, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A linear programming model was used with an objective function to maximize the monthly income as a function of the cultivated area with the crops used in the region (squash, beans, maize, okras, bananas, dwarf banana, mango, and lemon) subjected to the restrictions of the irrigated area and the availability of water. The net income differences obtained in the optimization with and without restriction in the cultivated area of annual crops were 15.2% and 10.2%, for the large and the small farm plots, respectively. The water distribution system does not limit the crop selection in the irrigation district. The difference in the net income caused by the crops used was influenced more by the type of irrigation systems than by the soil water holding capacity.