Comparison of practices

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Use of water resources

Country: Tajikistan

Province: Districts of Republican Subordination

District: Rudaki

Other settlement: Khosilot Farm

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Province: Chuy Region

District: Sokuluk District

• Ground water occurrence below 5 meters;
• Typical gray soil, surface slope – 0.04.

The site is located in a semi-drought zone subject to acute shortage of water resources in summer period and land degradation

Start date: 01.01.2013

End date: 31.12.2015

Start date: 01.01.2011

End date: 31.12.2011

Low efficiency of furrow irrigation; deficit of irrigation water; poor alfaalfa yields; eroded soil; low income of farmers.

Extremely low water availability (supply) of pastures; the quantity of cattle in watering sites below standard; land erosion

Sprinkling irrigation system for alfaalfa

Technology of springs arrangement for stock watering

Actions:

• Project design and budgeting, procurement of sprinkling nozzles;
• Installation of sprinkling irrigation system, alfaalfa planting and cultivation, crop care.

Results:

Financial and economic:

increased farmer incomes due to better alfaalfa hay yields; enhanced labor productivity; reduced production costs.

Ecological:

improved ecological and reclamation condition of irrigated land; production of ecologically clean goods; significantly reduced unproductive water losses and soil erosion.

Technical:

increased alfaalfa hay yields (29 t/ha) compared to furrow irrigation (on average 18 t/ha); 40% saving of irrigation water.

Social:

increased wellbeing of local residents due to better agricultural yields; reduced hard manual labor.

Actions:

At first, the exact location of water outcrop was identified and cleaned from mud.  15 meters below the outcrop, 3 interconnected water tubs were installed (each 1.8 m long, 0.5 m wide and 0.5 deep).  Each subsequent tub is located lower than the preceding one, thus, allowing water flowing down in the cascade manner.

Results:

Financial and economic:

Cattle gaining weight quicker.

Technical:

Improved water supply in the area, including for cattle watering.

Lessons learnt:

Deployment of sprinkling irrigation systems allows increasing alfaalfa productivity and water saving as well enhancing soil reclamation condition and structure, watering efficiency, etc.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to widely introduce sprinkling irrigation to enhance the efficiency of water and land resources, reduce manual labor costs and save irrigation water.

Lessons learnt:

Collection of water in one place had been practiced since ancient times, but was forgotten over time.  Rehabilitation of traditional practices should be welcomed.

Recommendations:

Similar practices should be scaled-up and continued as they not only benefit the local population, but also allow enhancing water availability for wild animals and expanding hayfield meadows.

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

Traditional tools transferred from generation to generation which demonstrate their relevance in modern conditions

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha: $3,000/ha

3. O&M costs: High

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: Sprinkling irrigation of alfaalfa in the conditions of Central Tajikistan.

Project duration: 2013-2015.

Project goal and objectives: deployment of sprinkling irrigation for alfaalfa; observance of optimal irrigation mode(s) and techniques ensuring 30 t/ha alfaalfa hay yield with minimal energy consumption in the conditions of Central Tajikistan.

Project beneficiaries: farmers of Khosilot Farm.

Project implementer: GU “TajikNIIGiM”.

Research report by GU “TajikNIIGiM”, Dushanbe, 2015, 24 p.

WOCAT.net, Mr. Abdybek Asanaliyev (e-mail: asanaly61@mail.ru), Kyrgyz National Agriculture University, Bishkek

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC