Comparison of practices

Use of water resources

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Jambyl Region

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Province: Jalal-Abad Region

The site is located in the foothills with significant difference in elevation

Water User Associations (WUAs) are located to the northwest of Jalal-Abad (region’s capital) on the border of Namangan and Andizhan Regions of Uzbekistan (Kugart River Valley, 1,200 m ASL, northern tail of the Fergana Valley).

Start date: 01.01.2006

End date: 31.12.2007

Start date: 01.01.2009

End date: 31.12.2017

Water erosion, discharge, uneven distribution of irrigation water, poor yields

Low water use efficiency on WUA and farm levels

Technique and technology for irrigation based on Simultaneous Impulse Sprinkling Kit (KSID-10S)

Technical tools:

Effective water use technologies, modern technologies of irrigation water management.

Cognitive tools:

Consultations by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation and local experts, capacity-building training seminars.

Actions:

Deployment of the Simultaneous Impulse Sprinkling Kit (KSID-10S) allowing extremely uniform and simultaneous dispersion of irrigation water across all sections of arable pasture or hayfield meadow.  Water expenditure at the impulse device makes 0.05-0.3 l/sec and 0.25-2.0 l/sec in the irrigation pipeline, thus, reducing (3-4 times) the costs associated with the pipeline network installation compared to other sprinkling systems (kits). The pipeline network is built of 15-25 mm diameter pipes easy to transport and assemble in mountainous conditions.

Technical characteristics:

Operation modes: automatic and manual

Irrigated area: 10 ha

Water consumption: up to 100 m³/day

Average sprinkling (rain) intensity: 0.002-0.008 mm/min

EFFICIENCY: 99%

MOC: 98%

Watering automation level: 100%

Results:

• Ensured water supply according to crops requirements with the account of changing weather conditions and moisture deposits in active soil layer;
• Elimination of : 1) water-induced soil erosion, 2) puddling and 3) discharge run-off;
• No need for water recirculation among irrigation sections.

Actions:

Capacity building:

• farmers in pilot areas underwent trainings on advanced methods of effective water use;
• the Project was implemented within WUAs and agriculture servicing organizations;
• in 2011, 1,694 farmers (including 488 women) underwent community-level trainings on effective management of water resources; training and awareness-raising materials (manuals, modules, newsletters, etc.) were designed, published and disseminated among partners; also, Guidelines on Effective Community-Level Use of Water Resources and Advanced Irrigation Methods were developed and disseminated.

Partnership building:

• trainings-of-trainers for partner organizations on 10 aspects of effective irrigation water use were held;
• irrigation specialists visited all partners for consultations (30 visits);
• partners received spillways to measure water consumption;
• farmers exchanged their experiences in the course of exchange visits.

Results:

The practice promoted building of WUA capacities, increasing the efficiency of irrigation water use on farm level as well as building farmer capacities on water resources management.

Lessons learnt:

The advantages of impulse sprinkling irrigation were confirmed by the research efforts on other test sites of KAZNIIVKh in Jambyl Region that allowed increasing biological productivity of Golden Delicious apple variety by 10.1-36.8%, and commercial productivity – by 16.6-49.4% compared to conventional sprinkling irrigation systems.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to continue application of similar practices in foothill areas in Central Asia subject to power supply shortages.

Lessons learnt:

Water shortage and inefficient water use (field/farm level) pose obstacles to farmers receiving high yields and incomes from agricultural production. Excessive irrigation in upper-stream areas and water shortage in lower-stream areas, although a paradox, occur simultaneously as farmers lack knowledge on actual crop water requirements and water-efficient irrigation.

Recommendations:

The practice should be scaled-up across the country.  It is also necessary to conduct regular trainings to raise awareness among farmers and build their capacities on applying advanced irrigation methods providing them with an opportunity to manage scarce water resources more effectively.

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

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

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha:

3. O&M costs: High

4. Expert support: Not needed

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: Effective Water Use (SEP) (Kyrg. “Suunu effektivduu paidalanuu”)

Project duration: 2009-2017 (9 years).

Project goal and objectives: enhance water resources management frameworks and capacities in terms of rendering services to farmers with the aim of increasing their incomes, food security and capabilities to adapt to social, economic and climate risks; improve farmers knowledge and their abilities to apply advanced field-level irrigation and water collection methods providing them with an opportunity to manage scarce water resources more effectively.

Project beneficiaries: water users (farmers) and WUAs.

Project implementer: Department of Water Management and Reclamation of the MoAFIR of Kyrgyzstan

1. Assessment report on water user associations performance in southern regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, 2010;
2. Presentation “Review of adaptation projects in the Kyrgyz Republic: preliminary outcomes”; 
3. SEP: Effective Water Use, Kyrgyzstan, 2011 Annual Report, HELVETAS ;
4. "Suunu Effektivduu Paidalanuu” (SEP) Leaflet, Intra-Farm Water Resources Management Project.

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC