Comparison of practices

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

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

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Almaty region

District: Alakol District

Other settlement: Yntaly Rural District (320 km away from Taldykorgan (region center))

Country: Uzbekistan

Province: Sirdaryo Region

Foothill area

• Basins of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya Rivers;
• Shallow ground water occurrence;
• Newly reclaimed landmass;
• Soil with high filtration ratio (over 0.1 m/day);
• landmass with low reclamation suitability and profitability.

Start date: 01.01.2008

End date: 31.12.2010

Start date: 01.01.1965

End date: 31.12.1968

After disintegration of large agricultural enterprises (state farms), the maintenance of inter- and intra-farm irrigation systems – that were earlier on the balance of state farms – appeared to exceed the technical capacity of small-scale private and owner-operated farms.  Due to this reason, in the majority of agricultural districts the tray irrigation networks got out of order.  The wear of the lion’s share of hydraulic engineering facilities in Alakol District reached nearly 70% leading to water losses associated with crops watering – the analysis showed that 40% of water was lost to filtration and evaporation.  In its turn, that resulted in ineffective and irrational use of water resources and contraction of irrigated land area.  For example, whereas in 2003 water intake for irrigation amounted to 195 mln m³, in 2009 it decreased to 114.8 mln m³ (41.1% drop).

Issue: Low efficiency of irrigation water due to wear of hydraulic engineering facilities/installations (tray irrigation system).

• Low efficiency of irrigation canals;
• rising ground water level;
• soil bogging;
• land salination.

Application of the technique sharply increases local water availability due to enhanced efficiency of irrigation networks (systems). Double coating of canal sides and bottom results in practically complete elimination of water filtration (0.97-0.98 per canal). Crop productivity grows thanks to better water availability, uniformity and timeliness of water supply and distribution.

Drip irrigation in combination with soil mulching with polyethylene film

Technology of anti-filtration canal panning with polymeric film.

Drip irrigation combined with filming has been widely adopted around the world in vegetable and cucurbits cultivation.  Thanks to long moisture preservation and proper thermal balance achieved under film, deployment of this technology allows reducing the overall need for irrigation water and receiving earlier and higher crop yields.

Actions:

The K-DEN Farm was offered to apply drip irrigation through film cover on the area of 5 hectares in Yntaly Rural District.  The technique was adapted for project site by Doctor of Engineering R.I. Vagapov. The recommended technology is the most available to local farmers and ensures significant saving of irrigation water.

Necessary resources:

1) seeds of vegetable and cucurbit crops;

2) polyethylene film;

3) equipment (DT-75 tractor, seeder, cultivator);

4) labor for preparatory works, sowing and harvest campaigns;

5) expert consultations and training.

Results:

Financial and economic:

The yield of vegetable and cucurbit crops increased twofold compared to two previous years allowing the farm to receive the profit of $12,000/ha in spite of the fact that the whole yield was sold at low price to the local population of Eastern Kazakhstan and Almaty Regions.  In particular, the productivity of vegetable crops amounted to 350-400 dt/ha, and cucurbits – 400 dt/ha.

Technical:

Water saving made 220,040 m³.

There are different ways to prevent water filtration in distribution canals: anti-filtration canal coating with cast concrete, reinforced concrete plates, polymeric film, etc.  Separate use of these materials does not yield expected outcomes.  Fragility and lack of durability of polymeric film led to suspending its use.

Actions:

In 1965-1968, the mechanized (automated) way of canal panning with reinforced concrete plates and/or cast concrete in combination with polymeric film coating was introduced.  Initially, the canal’s perimeter was covered with black polyethylene film overlaid with reinforced concrete plates and/or cast concrete.  Experience shows that such canals are durable and are still operating today, although in recent years operational costs have significantly decreased.

Results:

Canals built with reinforced (cast) concrete panning in combination with polymeric film coating lose almost no water.  For example, in UR-24 and UR 25-9 Canals in Pakhtakor District -- where such panning was used for the first time – water losses dropped 20-30 times, and operational costs also sharply decreased compared to other facilities with different anti-filtration coating.  Water losses on the Right Branch of the SGC (discharge capacity – over 50 m³/s) amounted to only 1.8 l/s per 1 km.

Lessons learnt:

The practice of drip irrigation in combination with the application of polyethylene film has increased the efficiency of water use and crops productivity as well as reduced labor needs.

Recommendations:

The widespread deployment of water-saving technologies requires the presence of effective financial incentives for at water consumers.

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

In recent years, Uzbekistan has been rendering significant attention to rehabilitation and refitting of its hydro-reclamation networks and even established a special Reclamation Fund.  In this regard, it is necessary to re-launch the practice of combatting water loss in supply canals by means of reinforced (cast) concrete coating combined with polyethylene film coating, especially with the account that domestic plants are currently manufacturing large volumes of polyethylene products.

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

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: Integrated preservation of globally significant wetlands as dwelling places of migrating birds.

Project duration: May 2008-Sept 2010.

Project goal and objectives: assessment of agro-economic and environmental efficiency of technology of sprinkling irrigation on vegetable crops; establishment of optimum watering regimes for vegetable crops based on mist sprinkling irrigation.

Project beneficiaries: peasants (farmers) and agricultural producers.

Project implementer: K-DEN Farm

Project title: Combatting water filtration in canals.

Project duration: 1965-1968.

Project goal and objectives: reduce water losses due to filtration in irrigation canals.

Project beneficiaries: population in SGC area.

Project implementer: “Golodnostepstroy” Irrigation System Administration.

K-DEN Farm,

Mr. Afrikan Konstantinovich Kim, farm head

(ph.: +7 701 227 27 49, +7 701 672 85 85)

• Dukhovny, V.A. (technique developer);
• Irrigation of Uzbekistan, vol. 2 and 4, Tashkent, 1981;
• Poslavsky, V.V. et al., “Use of plastics in irrigation”, Tashkent, 1963;
• Dukhovny, V.A., “Irrigation and development of Golodnaya Step”, M.: Kolos, 1973;
• Bogushevsky, A.A. et al., “Agricultural hydro-technical reclamations”, ed. by E.S. Markov. M.: Kolos, 1981.

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC