Irrigation is defined as the use of water in agriculture in order to foster crop growth, especially in dry areas. It is a major input use in agriculture and a basic driving force for water abstraction. According to Integrated Farm Statistics Handbook 2023, the total irrigated area (UAA_IT) is composed of irrigated area outdoor (UAAT_IT) and irrigated area under glass (UAAS_IT). It is presumed that utilised agricultural area under glass, kitchen gardens and rice is considered to be always irrigable and thus are not explicitly collected in the irrigation part of the data collection.
The following elements of the data collection guidelines needs to be taken into account for the interpretation of the data:
- Area of crops which have actually been irrigated at least once during the 12 months prior to the survey date.
- Crops under glass, kitchen gardens and rice are always irrigated, included in total irrigated area.
- If more than one crop is grown in a field during the harvest year, the area should only be indicated once: for the main crop, if irrigation was used for it, or otherwise for the most important irrigated secondary or successive crop.