Comparison of practices

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources
• Environmental protection

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Country: Turkmenistan

Province: Ahal Region

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Almaty region

District: Alakol District

Other settlement: Yntaly Rural District (320 km away from Taldykorgan (region center))

The settlements are located in the river catchment area; deep ground water occurrence; mountain valleys are under high risk of mudflows and floods.

Foothill area

Start date: 01.01.2012

End date: 31.12.2013

Start date: 01.01.2008

End date: 31.12.2010

Water deficit; settlements and agricultural land under flood and mudflow threat during mudflow risk periods

After disintegration of large agricultural enterprises (state farms), the maintenance of inter- and intra-farm irrigation systems – that were earlier on the balance of state farms – appeared to exceed the technical capacity of small-scale private and owner-operated farms.  Due to this reason, in the majority of agricultural districts the tray irrigation networks got out of order.  The wear of the lion’s share of hydraulic engineering facilities in Alakol District reached nearly 70% leading to water losses associated with crops watering – the analysis showed that 40% of water was lost to filtration and evaporation.  In its turn, that resulted in ineffective and irrational use of water resources and contraction of irrigated land area.  For example, whereas in 2003 water intake for irrigation amounted to 195 mln m³, in 2009 it decreased to 114.8 mln m³ (41.1% drop).

Issue: Low efficiency of irrigation water due to wear of hydraulic engineering facilities/installations (tray irrigation system).

Cascading storage pools (reservoirs) accumulating rain and runoff water

Drip irrigation in combination with soil mulching with polyethylene film

Actions:

• assessment of mudflow and flood risks and surveying local population regarding reservoirs’ locations and water uses (drinking and irrigation water supply);
• designing reservoirs;
• construction of reservoirs with the engagement of local residents;
• training of local residents on servicing reservoirs and corresponding equipment.

Results:

• reduced risks for public life and health;
• enhanced water supply of irrigated land;
• reduced risk of agricultural losses due to drought;
• reduced risk of biodiversity damage caused by mudflows and floods;
• enhanced public access to drinking water.

Drip irrigation combined with filming has been widely adopted around the world in vegetable and cucurbits cultivation.  Thanks to long moisture preservation and proper thermal balance achieved under film, deployment of this technology allows reducing the overall need for irrigation water and receiving earlier and higher crop yields.

Actions:

The K-DEN Farm was offered to apply drip irrigation through film cover on the area of 5 hectares in Yntaly Rural District.  The technique was adapted for project site by Doctor of Engineering R.I. Vagapov. The recommended technology is the most available to local farmers and ensures significant saving of irrigation water.

Necessary resources:

1) seeds of vegetable and cucurbit crops;

2) polyethylene film;

3) equipment (DT-75 tractor, seeder, cultivator);

4) labor for preparatory works, sowing and harvest campaigns;

5) expert consultations and training.

Results:

Financial and economic:

The yield of vegetable and cucurbit crops increased twofold compared to two previous years allowing the farm to receive the profit of $12,000/ha in spite of the fact that the whole yield was sold at low price to the local population of Eastern Kazakhstan and Almaty Regions.  In particular, the productivity of vegetable crops amounted to 350-400 dt/ha, and cucurbits – 400 dt/ha.

Technical:

Water saving made 220,040 m³.

• Cascading reservoirs provide better cumulative effect at lower cost compared to separate reservoirs;
• Application of modern water-proofing materials during the construction of storage pools (reservoirs) allows to reliably store winter and spring runoff to be used during vegetation period.

Lessons learnt:

The practice of drip irrigation in combination with the application of polyethylene film has increased the efficiency of water use and crops productivity as well as reduced labor needs.

Recommendations:

The widespread deployment of water-saving technologies requires the presence of effective financial incentives for at water consumers.

• Domestic tools (outcomes of research by domestic R&D organizations),
• Foreign tools (transfer of foreign experience)

Domestic tools (outcomes of research by domestic R&D organizations)

1. Cost of implementation: Moderate

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha: $50-500

3. O&M costs: Low

4. Expert support: Needed at implementation stage

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha:

3. O&M costs: High

4. Expert support: Not needed

Project title: Responding to climate change risks for dekhan farming system of Turkmenistan on national and local levels.

Project duration: 2012-2016.

Project goal and objectives: build the adaptation capacity to respond to climate change impacts, including variability on local and national levels.

Project beneficiaries: population of Garavul Settlement (about 6,000 people) and Konegumbez Settlement (about 1,000 people).

Project implementer: Ministry of Nature Conservation of Turkmenistan and UNDP

Project title: Integrated preservation of globally significant wetlands as dwelling places of migrating birds.

Project duration: May 2008-Sept 2010.

Project goal and objectives: assessment of agro-economic and environmental efficiency of technology of sprinkling irrigation on vegetable crops; establishment of optimum watering regimes for vegetable crops based on mist sprinkling irrigation.

Project beneficiaries: peasants (farmers) and agricultural producers.

Project implementer: K-DEN Farm

Government of Turkmenistan

K-DEN Farm,

Mr. Afrikan Konstantinovich Kim, farm head

(ph.: +7 701 227 27 49, +7 701 672 85 85)

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC