Cemig's project makes irrigation projects more efficient A project developed by Cemig Distribuição S/A has improved the efficiency of the use of electricity and water in the irrigation activity of family agriculture, in the municipality of Jaíba, in Minas Gerais – it is the project “Atualização dos Sistemas de Irrigação da Agricultura Familiar – Projeto Jaíba” [Updating of the Irrigation Systems in Family Agriculture ‐ Jaíba Project]. Through it, the distributor is replacing old irrigation sprinkler systems, which had high water and consequent energy consumption and require a lot of manpower for more modern systems with fixed sprinkler or micro sprinkler. The incentive already reduced in more than 12% the average energy consumption of the irrigation systems. The project was implemented at the irrigation perimeter of Jaíba, the largest irrigation project in Latin America, which uses water pumped from the São Francisco River, and through the pumping stations, takes water to all lots of irrigator settlers. The project's infrastructure contemplates 11 pumping stations and 248 km of channels through which the water passes to each lot. The new systems are automated, making the use of the night hours for irrigation possible, as well as decreasing the manual labor. Besides this, night task meters are being installed, when necessary and five meteorological stations. With an investment of R$ 17.7 million, the project started in 2010 has already replaced more than 1,200 inefficient irrigation systems, worn by time, by more efficient systems, besides conducting training and providing intensive technical assistance. For this, the concessionaire has a partnership with the Jaíba Irrigation District (DIJ ‐ Distrito de Irrigação Jaíba), the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of Minas Gerais (EMATER ‐ MG ‐ Empresa de Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural do Estado de Minas Gerais) and São Francisco and Parnaíba Valley Development Company (CODEVASF ‐ Companhia de Desenvolvimento dos Vales do São Francisco e Parnaíba). The average water consumption was reduced on average around 12%. Compared with the year 2009, even with the additional acreage, there was a reduction in demand recorded of approximately 24% and a reduction in the volume of water pumped of 3%..