Rain Water Harvest and Use Pattern as an Efforts to Improve the Economy of Farmers in Timor Dried Area, East Nusa Tenggara

Abstract

This study aims to find out how much rainwater is able to be accommodated during one rainy season period and its utilization in horticulture plants and forage feed from the integration results through drip irrigation systems. The method of shelter that is by utilizing the cage roof of cattle that is accommodated in plastic tarps and the use of rainwater through drip irrigation on plants using a modified bottle of mineral water with an additional hose. The results obtained are the amount of rainwater that can be accommodated during one rainy season period which is an average of 32 m3 while the utilization with the drip irrigation system to meet the water needs of chili horticulture plants on average is 6 m3, cucumber is 7.2 m3 and forage grass feed mulato at 12m3 for one harvest period, with chili production of 1.2 tons / ha, cucumber at 1.6 tons / ha and production of fresh material grass mulato material at 2.4 ± 0.13 tons / ha, dry material production 0.81 ± 0.02 tons / ha, ratio of stems and leaves 61.26 : 38.74%. The conclusion of this study is that rainwater harvesting uses the cage roof method and its utilization through drip irrigation systems is able to supply the water needs of horticulture plants so as to have an impact on farmers’ incomes while meeting the forage needs of livestock dry material production.