Interactive map of the best practices

on the use of water, land and energy resources,
as well as the environment of Central Asia

Comparison of practices

Название практики Set of hydro-reclamation measures Improving reclamation condition of arable land around West Karmakshi Collector
Category Water resources Water resources
Tool Set of hydro-reclamation measures Collector-drainage system
Field of application
  • Use of water resources
  • Use of land resources
  • Environmental protection

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Usability of practice for adaptation to climate change Low Moderate
Implemented by Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan and German Technical Cooperation Agency (GIZ)

Used by

Country: Turkmenistan

Province: Mary Region

District: Sakarçäge District

Other settlement: Zakhmet Daikhan Farm

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Kyzylorda Region

District: Karmakshy District

Other settlement: a/o “Aktobe”, a/o “III International”

Local specifics

Sakar-Chaga District (area of 53,000 ha; population of 132,000 people) is located in the northwestern part of Mary Region in the Murgab River delta. The majority of local residents live in the oasis hosting 80% of settlements.

The site is located in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya River (inter-riverbed depression strip)

Practice usage period

Start date: 01.01.2009

End date: 31.12.2010

Start date: 01.01.2010

End date: 31.12.2011

Problem solved through this practice

Land salination represents the main challenge in the area due to improper irrigation technology and lack of drainage, in their turn leading to extremely low productivity. With time, the existing irrigation management system resulted in irrational use of water and land. While water distribution rates were calculated in a centralized manner depending on specific crops, in practice water supply monitoring is extremely poor – water supply (canals) infrastructure is inconsistent with farmers’ needs leading to excessive and, vice versa, insufficient watering of different sites. In addition, there exists an informal water payment system leading to the advantageous position of certain users.

Increasing secondary land salination, deterioration of col-lector and drainage system (CDS)

Tools used in the practice

Set of hydro-reclamation measures: preventive land forming (leveling), composting, monitoring of ground water bedding and mineralization, decentralized water management planning, capacity building, etc.

A set of measures to enhance land reclamation condition (collector cleaning using special equipment, reconstruction of hydraulic engineering installations, etc.)

Description of the practice and its results

Actions:

A series of measures were executed to prevent land degradation and improve land reclamation condition, including introduction of high-performance drainage systems and reclamation technologies, construction of a new collector and cleaning of the existing one, construction of 9 water-regulating and 2 water-measuring facilities.

Results:

  • 50 hectares of degraded land rehabilitated and can be used for agricultural purposes. About 35 ha of land saved from degradation thanks to preventive land forming;
  • regular seminars held for land users on potential ways of applying various advanced methods of maintaining rural economy and effective use of water resources;
  • about 60 measuring stations installed to monitor the level and mineralization of ground water.

Actions:
The capital repair of inter-farm West Karmakshi Collector (WKC) is necessitated by the fact that in its current condition the Collector didn't provide for timely drainage of drainages and discharge water from cropland in the Left-Bank Massif.

Results:

Financial and economic:
Increased crop productivity, mainly rice and forage crops

Technical:
Enhanced reclamation condition of land in the Left-Bank Massif

Lessons learnt and recommendations made

Lessons learnt:

  • salinized land was rehabilitated not only thanks to reclamation actions but also by composting. In particular, high-quality humus is produced to enhance soil salinity parameters;
  • the process of designing water use plans for individual farmers launched;
  • one new collector built.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to focus on strengthening the role of local associations in rendering irrigation services and managing the canal’s water level.  Local water users will be rendered an opportunity to design effective irrigation water management schemes.  The experience of decentralized water planning and management accumulated by water tenants will be documented and distributed as a part of knowledge-management (capacity-building) strategy.  It is necessary to closely cooperate with the newly established Agriculture Advisory Service working on sustainable land and water management, as well as to disseminate corresponding practices in other areas.

Lessons learnt:
Allocation of resources for cleaning CDS proved more efficient than other target actions

Recommendations:
Regular and timely execution of running and capital collector cleaning is necessary to ensure its proper operation

Source of practice

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

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

Readiness for implementation

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

Brief information on the project

Project title: Local-level capacity building and investment for sustainable management of land resources.

Project duration: 2009-2010.

Project goal and objectives: overcoming barriers to higher efficiency and performance of water supply systems in climate change induced drought conditions.

Project beneficiaries: Zakhmet Daikhan Farm (approximately 300 daikhan households).

Project implementer: Ministry of Nature Protection of Turkmenistan and German Technical Cooperation Agency (GIZ).

Funding source UNDP and Global Environmental Facility Ministry of Reclamation and Water Management of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Information sources

http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=ru&elem_id=17207&type=event&layout=print&sort=date_desc 

Contacts of a person, who filled this form

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC

Form submission date 17.04.2018 29.03.2018

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