This paper uses the 1995-1996 of agricultural census data to evaluate irrigation in Brazil in relation to the irrigated areas and irrigation methods by groups, region and states. Based on this, Brazil has 3.1 million hectares under irrigation, corresponding to only 2.1% of the 146.8 million hectare of cultivated area with annual and permanent crops, pastures and forests. The southern region presents the largest irrigated area, 1.1 million ha, corresponding to 35% of the total irrigated area. The second largest irrigated area is in the southeastern region (30%), followed by the northeast (24%); the centre-western and north have, together by 11% of the total area. Irrigated farms smaller than 1,000 ha predominate in the northeast, southeast and south regions. In the centre-west and north irrigation is more important in farms larger than 10,000 ha. Surface irrigation is the most used irrigation method (59% of the farms) in the northeast and south; sprinkler irrigation predominates in the remaining regions, while trickle irrigation represents the smallest area.
irrigation; statistics; census
