Comparison of practices

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

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Country: Turkmenistan

Country: Uzbekistan

Province: Fergana Region

District: Kuva District

Other settlement: Khamroli-Ota Farm (Kuva) and Azamat Tazhribakor Farm (Mirzaabad)

17,238 ha of barkhan (sand dune), takyr (dry-type playa) and solonchak (moist-type playa) sites of the Kara Kum Desert; deep ground water occurrence

• Upper streams (Fergana Region) and mid streams (Syr Darya Region) of the Syr Darya River;
• Shallow occurrence of ground water

Start date: 01.01.2012

End date: 31.12.2016

Start date: 01.01.2010

End date: 31.12.2012

Desertification and decreased productivity of desert pastures due to over-grazing around existing cattle watering sites

Land degradation, water loss in the fields; reduction of irrigation and soil flushing efficiency; inefficient distribution of water resources; rising ground water level

Technology of building sardobas (stone-dome covered water collection and storage reservoirs) to enhance pasture water supply

Technology of laser planning (leveling) of irrigated land

Main actions:

• mudflow and flood risk assessment and surveying local population regarding sardobas’ locations.

Actions:

• selection of takyrs to construct sardobas jointly with local cattle-farmers;
• construction of sardobas jointly with local cattle-farmers;
• cleaning takyr surfaces.

Results:

• pastures that were not previously utilized due to absence of water sources returned to pasture rotation;
• pastures destroyed due to over-grazing started to restore;
• increased herd productivity due to reduced passage distances and higher fodder value of pastures.

Initially, the laser technology was applied to develop virgin acreage for principal land planning.  Later, it was used for routine land planning (smoothing).

In recent years, the application of laser planning technology almost stopped due to lack of resources, but this case study shows how relevant it is in the current context. 

Actions:

• area (land) leveling (planning);
• table-top and project design works on land planning;
• preparation of equipment;
• preparation of laser equipment;
• laser land planning;
• deep land loosening and administration of organic fertilizers.

 Results:

 Technical:

• increased plot (KZI) ratio (up to 0.92-0.95);
• 25-30% water saving.

 Financial and economic:

• increased crops productivity;
• income from planned (levelled) acreage increased from 2.17 mln sum/ha to 4.6 mln sum/ha.

 Environmental:

• improved land reclamation condition (ground water mineralization decreased, thus, leading to contraction of salinized acreage).

Lessons learnt:

Construction of sardobas in takyr areas allows enhancing pasture water supply, thus, leading to the restoration of over-grazed pastures.

Recommendations:

The practice requires long-term planning and an integrated response with the early-on engagement of desertification experts (designing a set of measures to protect takyrs from sand drifts), state agencies (technical assistance) and pasture users (observance of pasture rotation schemes, prevention of takyrs from contamination and pollution).

Lessons learnt:

The practice demonstrates the need for periodic (routine) laser planning (leveling) of irrigated land to enhance irrigation efficiency.

Recommendations:

For routine land smoothing, it is desirable to combine land laser planning with deep land loosening.

Traditional tools transferred from generation to generation that proved their efficiency in modern conditions

Foreign tools (transfer of foreign experience)

1. Cost of implementation: Low

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha: $1,000-5,000

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: Bori Settlement (over 1,100 people) and Bo-Kurdak Settlement (about 4,500 people).

Project implementer: Ministry of Nature Conservation and UNDP

Project title: Application of GIS-technologies for reclamation.

Project duration: Jan 2010-Dec 2012 (3 years).

Project goal and objectives: comprehensive support of Reclamation Expedition (RE) specialists; introduction of new technologies; enhancing RE technical capacities to ensure a more expedient implementation of projects to improve the reclamation condition of irrigated land with the aim of receiving better agricultural yields with the simultaneous maintenance of environmental equilibrium in the area.

Project beneficiaries: Fergana Region and Syr Daria Region Reclamation Expeditions.

Project implementer: Management Department of the Foundation for Reclamation Improvement of Irrigated Land.

tm.undp.org

Ekologicheski Vestnik (Environmental Digest) Journal,

Issue 11, 2012 (http://lrf.uz/?p=286&lang=ru).

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC