Sustainable groundwater management for irrigation in organic agriculture

Sustainable irrigation is one of the key prerequisites for stable and long-term responsible agricultural production, particularly under conditions of climatic variability, increasingly frequent drought episodes, and growing pressure on water resources. In organic agriculture, irrigation assumes even greater importance, as production is not based solely on the quantitative increase of yields, but also on the preservation of soil, water quality, biodiversity, and natural processes within the agroecosystem. The present study analyzes the potential for the sustainable use of groundwater for irrigation, using the "Login Eko" groundwater source in Mužlja, within the territory of the City of Zrenjanin, as a case study. The results indicate that the "Login Eko" source may provide a functional hydrogeological basis for sustainable irrigation, but only if groundwater abstraction is carried out in accordance with the confirmed reserves, accompanied by continuous monitoring of water quantity and quality, assessment of impacts on soil, and the application of precision irrigation principles. In a broader sense, this case study demonstrates that sustainable irrigation in organic agriculture must be founded on the integration of hydrogeological reliability, agroecological responsibility, and technologically controlled resource management.