Comparison of practices

Use of water resources

• Use of water resources
• Use of land resources

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Province: Chuy Region

District: Sokuluk District

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Jambyl Region

District: Talas District

Other settlement: Village of Sadu Shakirov

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

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

Start date: 01.01.2011

End date: 31.12.2011

Start date: 01.05.2008

End date: 30.04.2009

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

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).

Technology of springs arrangement for stock watering

Method of autumn and winter water-charging irrigation

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Traditional tools transferred from generation to generation that proved their efficiency in modern conditions

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

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

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

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC