Comparison of practices

Use of water resources

Country: Tajikistan

Province: Khatlon Region

District: Jilikul

Country: Uzbekistan

Province: Namangan Region

District: Pap District

• Located in the valley part of the Vakhsh River Basin (river catchment area);
• Deep (below 3 meters) ground water occurrence;
• Middle loamy soils.

Foothill droughty area; extremely water pervious soils with pebble bed; the site is located below the Zhijdalisoj Water Reservoir

Start date: 01.04.2010

End date: 31.10.2011

Start date: 01.01.2013

End date: 31.12.2014

Uneven distribution of irrigation water, lack of water accounting means to ensure observance of recommended irrigation norms for cotton

Irrational use of irrigation water and fertilizers; deficit of electric power; low soil bonitet; poor crops productivity; poor quality of agricultural products; soil erosion

Tubular water outlet flowmeter

Free-flow drip irrigation system (DIS)

Actions:

- Construction of tubular water outlet flowmeter with removable nozzles (procurement of polyethylene piping to make tubular water outlets and matching nozzles);
- Installation of tubular water outlet flowmeter along temporary sprinklers. 

Results:

Financial and economic:

saving of irrigation water; low cost of irrigation system automation (total kit cost: $500/ha) with the service life of 5 years. 

Technical:

simple design allowing a more even distribution of irrigation water stream among furrows, thus, ensuring the prescribed water supply mode.

Social:

improved working conditions of irrigators; lower labor needs/costs; enhanced mutual trust among farmers and water users.

Actions:

Free-flow DIS was installed at the Zhijdalisoj Water Reservoir and was connected to the already operating gravity irrigation piping network. Due to the elevation difference between the pipe inlet and outlet (at the point of entry to the irrigated site) the system generates natural water pressure allowing free-flow DISs installed in gardens to operate without any pumping equipment, i.e. electricity.

Results:

Technical:

thanks to free-flow DIS, water and fertilizers are distributed evenly, strictly according to corresponding norms, in due time and economically (water saving - up to 50%).

Financial and economic:

increased (by 30-40%) crop yields and improved yield quality.

350,000 sum/ha ($150/ha) saved due to electricity saving and no need to repair pumping equipment.

Lessons learnt:

Installation and deployment of tubular water outlet flowmeter allows to improve the uniformity of irrigation stream’s distribution among furrows and conduct irrigation water accounting.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to widely use the small-scale irrigation automation means like the tubular water outlet flowmeters which have simple design, are convenient to operate, are low-cost and mobile and ensure supply of the prescribed amount of irrigation water.

Lessons learnt:

Application of natural (gravity-based) water pressure allows making DISs more affordable for farms located on slope acreage of mountain foothills.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to carry out research to identify locations where free-flow DISs could work thanks to natural water pressure.

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

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: Moderate

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha: $2-2.5,000

3. O&M costs: Moderate

4. Expert support: Needed at implementation stage

Project title: Watering technology based on tubular water outlet flowmeters.

Project duration: Apr 2010-Oct 2011.

Project goal and objectives: development and deployment of a crop watering technology for dekhan farms of the Republic of Tajikistan allowing to significantly increase the efficiency of water use.

Project beneficiaries: members of “Istikol” WUA (Water User Association).

Project implementer: Institute of Water Issues, Hydropower and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences of the RTj

Project title: Innovative science and technological work “Introduction of DISs using natural water pressure in areas adjacent to foothill water reservoirs”.

Project duration: 2013-2014.

Project goal and objectives: create DISs operating without pumping equipment.

Project beneficiaries: employees of Zhijdalisoj Water Reservoir of the Naryn-Syr Darya BISA (Basin Irrigation System Administration).

Project implementer: State Committee on Science and Technology  of the Republic of Uzbekistan (SCST of the RUz).

Report by the Innovation Technology Department of the IWIHE of the AS of the RTj, Dushanbe, 2012, 45 p.

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC