Comparison of practices

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Jambyl Region

District: Talas District

Other settlement: Village of Sadu Shakirov

Country: Uzbekistan

Province: Fergana Region

District: Kuva District

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

The site is located in the desert foothill plain in South-ern Kazakhstan (internal drain area) at the very end of Sharuashlyk Irrigation Canal.

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

Start date: 01.05.2008

End date: 30.04.2009

Start date: 01.01.2010

End date: 31.12.2012

Acute water shortage; land degradation in the village of Sadu Shakirov; abandoned irrigated arable lands used only for year-round cattle grazing.

For a long time, the irrigation canal was not operation-al and, thus, became dilapidated. The situation in the area was aggravated by climate change impacts (de-creased quantity of early spring, summer and winter precipitation, increased average annual temperature, spring and autumn frost bites and summer droughts).

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

Method of autumn and winter water-charging irrigation

Technology of laser planning (leveling) of irrigated land

Actions:
1) Reconstruction of the canal, stop-gates and field irrigation networks (rehabilitation of irrigation furrows),
2) Setting up artificial pastures with forage crops

Results:

Financial and economic:
Using water-charging irrigation for rangelands allowed increasing their productivity from 3.5 to 5 dt/ha and receiving 60 tons of herbage for cattle and sheep and goats from non-cultivated land.

Technical:
1) 12 km of the canal and 5 stop-gates to regulate water releases restored,
2) 5 km of irrigation furrows built,
3) Cultivated pastures with forage crops created (soil preparation, alfaalfa planting, coordination of irrigation norms),
4) Fields are prepared during the summer-fall period, and watered during late fall or early spring.

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:
Application of water-charging irrigation allowed in-creasing water availability and, as the result, productivity of agricultural crops.

Application of water-charging irrigation demonstrated the efficiency of water use and allowed local popula-tion to go through winter without losing livestock.

Recommendations:
The method can be used in areas/communities where along with crop growing the population is also involved in livestock breeding.

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: 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: Fall and early spring Irrigation of arable land and pastures as an adaptation mechanism of ra-tional water use in Southern Kazakhstan

Duration: May 1, 2008 – April 30, 2009

Project goal and objectives: reduce land degradation due to climate change by way of rational use of irriga-tion water. The project was implemented to prevent loss of cattle due to forage shortage during alternating droughty years.

Project beneficiaries: local population.

Project implementer: Kogal LLC

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.

1) UNDP Compilation “Climate change adaptation: ex-amples from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan”, Tashkent 2012;
2) pandia.org

Ekologicheski Vestnik (Environmental Digest) Journal,

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

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC