By the time Johan Abrie, managing partner at Sampada-Agri, knocked on Agrico Nylstroom’s door for a new irrigation system for sugar beans, the window for planting was closing fast.
Sampada-Agri have established a prominent presence in the region, specialising in the export of premium strawberries and experiencing rapid growth in their cattle operation. Now they planned to expand into the sugar beans industry and found themselves in need of a brand-new irrigation system.
Agrico was asked to swiftly design, source and install an entire irrigation system according to their requirements.
“When we sat down to discuss the extent of the project, our main challenge became evident: we only had two weeks to complete it from scratch,” says irrigation designer Wikus Engelbrecht.
Innovative problem-solving with a brand new reservoir
Klipdrift farm is a picture-perfect landscape situated in the Waterberg area. With an abundance of rivers flowing between the mountains, it is common practice to establish reservoirs near the rivers, which eliminates the need for boreholes.
The design utilised water from the Grootspruit River for the first of three 6ha centre pivots. A Wilo submersible pump on a pontoon supplies the pivot with water. The use of a pontoon eliminates the risk of the pump undergoing a priming problem and also protects the pump against flash floods that can cause significant damage.
However, a significant distance between irrigation systems meant that an alternative water source was needed for the other two. Only during the later stages of the design did it become evident that the previously constructed dam would not suffice: an obstacle that no-one could have foreseen.
Together, they decided to build a brand new 300 000-litre reservoir. A fully operational pump station, equipped with two borehole pumps, manages the water in the newly established reservoir, ensuring the precise application of the 14mm spray package.
Two weeks later, the job was done. This project testament to joining hands and seeing challenges as opportunities. By finding innovative solutions, the team successfully met the difficult deadline, an excellent demonstration of effective teamwork between client and company.
Contact Agrico to help you overcome your irrigation challenges. Call +27 21 950 4111 or visit www.agrico.co.za.
