This is related to substantial improvements in the levels of production technology such as planting improved crop varieties, using drip irrigation techniques and applying fertilizers and pesticides. In the West Bank there is a lack of extension services to work with farmers to improve the operation and maintenance of irrigation systems. Pressurised systems like drip and sprinklers requires a much higher level of knowledge on the part of the farmer to achieve high efficiency. The survey showed that most of the systems were designed and installed by the farmers. It is economic to plant date palm trees especially in the Jordan Valley.
Date palm is salt-tolerant crops and require low quantity of water in comparison with other crops.
The local demand for dates is higher than the yield, and the price is relative high. In order to maximise the efficiency of water use in irrigation, crops with low transpiration rates or crops that produce high dry matter yield per unit of water transpired should be selected. For instance, corn requires relatively small quantities of water to produce one Kg of dry m atter, in comparison with alfalfa that requires large quantities of water to produce one Kg of dry matter. The cereal crops, such as wheat and barley, and vegetables, such as potatoes, are intermediate in their requirements. In order to increase the irrigation water conveyance and distribution systems efficiency, the canal irrigation systems must be replaced with piped systems.