Amanzi abalulekile ekukhiqizeni ukudla, kanti ezolimo zibanga cishe amaphesenti angama-70 amanzi ahlanzekile emhlabeni. Njengoba amazwe enyusa umkhiqizo wezolimo (ngo-2050, i-FAO ilinganisela ukuthi cishe abantu abayizigidigidi eziyi-9,7 bazodinga ukondla), umhlaba oniselwa ngenkasa uzodinga ukwanda ngaphezu kwama-50%. Kodwa-ke, ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu sekuvele kunciphisa ukulethwa kwamanzi atholakalayo ezitshalweni kwezinye izifunda.
Ukusiza abalimi ukubhekana nale nkinga, i-International Potato Center (CIP) ifuna izindlela zokwenza ngcono ukunisela. Ucwaningo lwakamuva olwenziwe ososayensi kanye nabafundi baseCIP naseLa Moline National Agricultural University ePeru baqinisekisile ukuthi izithombe ezivela kumakhamera we-infrared (thermographic) zingasetshenziswa ukuthola ukucindezelwa kwamanzi ezitshalweni bese zisebenzisa amanzi ngendlela ephumelelayo.
Iqembu labaphenyi eliholwa usosayensi we-CIP uDavid Ramirez lenze uchungechunge locwaningo eduze kwedolobha laseLima (Peru) ukuthola ukuthi inhlanganisela yemibala nemibala ye-infrared ingasetjenziswa kanjani ukubheka ukucindezelwa kwamanzi kwezitshalo zamazambane.
Abaphenyi bathatha izithombe zensimu yamazambane phakathi nosuku futhi basebenzisa isoftware yomthombo ovulekile ye-CIP ebizwa nge-Thermal Image processor (TIPCIP) ukuthola ukuthi izitshalo zifudumala kangakanani lapho zidinga ukuniselwa. Ngokuqhuba ngokunisela kuphela lapho izitshalo zifinyelela kulo mkhawulo, abacwaningi bakwazile ukunciphisa kakhulu inani lamanzi asetshenziselwa ukunisela.
"Inhloso bekuwukuthola ukuthi malini amanzi adingekayo amazambane ukuze athole isivuno esihle," kusho uRamirez.
“Inhlanganisela yokuqapha kanye nokunisela ngenkasa ingavumela abalimi ukuthi banciphise inani lamanzi adingekayo ukukhulisa amazambane okungenani ngama-cubic metres ayi-1600 ngehektha elilodwa, okulingana nesigamu samanzi asetshenziselwa ukunisela komhlaba wendabuko,” echaza.
Ukuhlanganiswa kokuphathwa kwamanzi okulungile kanye nokungenisa izinhlobo zokubekezelela isomiso kungakhuphula kakhulu ukumelana kwamanzi kwamazambane futhi kuvume ukuba bakhule ezifundeni lapho kulinywe khona okuncane noma kungekho lutho lokudla, noma ezinyangeni ezomile lapho umhlaba wezolimo untshontshiwe.
URamirez wachaza ukuthi ngenkathi amakhamera we-infrared angafakwa kuma-drones ukubheka ukucindezela kwamanzi emapulazini amakhulu, izindleko zemishini enjalo ziphakeme ngokungavunyelwe kubalimi abancane nabaphakathi. Ngakho-ke, uhlela ukuvivinya inketho entsha - isisetshenziswa se-plug-in esiguqula i-smartphone ibe ikhamera ye-infrared futhi kubiza cishe ama- $ 200. Ososayensi be-CIP basanda kuthuthukisa uhlobo olusha nolusebenziseka kakhulu lwe-TIPCIP lwama-Smartphones futhi bahlela inguqulo esizayo ezohlinzeka ngemininingwane ethize mayelana nokuthi udinga amanzi angakanani futhi angakanani.
“Ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bokufinyelela ovulekile, singasiza abalimi ukuthi bakhiqize ukudla ngamanzi amancane,” kuqinisekisa uRamirez.
Kodwa-ke, wengeza, ubuchwepheshe obunjalo kufanele buhambisane nokuqwashisa ngokujulile ngokubaluleka kokuphathwa kwamanzi okuqhubekayo.
Lolu cwaningo lwalwesekwa yiBhange Lomhlaba ngohlelo lweNational Innovation Agrarian Programme (PNIA) nohlelo lokucwaninga lweCGIAR.