Technologies

Onion production by greenhouse propagation and transplantation [Tajikistan]

Выращивание лука рассадным способом

technologies_4296 - Tajikistan

Completeness: 80%

1. General information

1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Key resource person(s)

SLM specialist:

Negmatov Negmatjon

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

Tajikistan

SLM specialist:

Haydarov Abdusattor

NGO Neksigol

Tajikistan

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
Strengthening of Livelihoods through Climate Change Adaptation in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)
GIZ Tajikistan (GIZ Tajikistan) - Tajikistan

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

2. Description of the SLM Technology

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Onion seeds are sown in sheeting greenhouses, where the onion seedlings are propagated. The seedlings are then replanted in the open field. This makes them less prone to extreme weather events and provides higher yield of better quality.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The technology of greenhouse propagation of onion plants and transplantation is applied in intensive, irrigation dependent agricultural systems. The technology is based on sowing of onion seeds in a sheeting greenhouse, where the seedlings grow for 45 days. Afterwards the onion seedlings are replanted in the open field. By this technology the sensitive seedlings are propagated in a protective environment making them less vulnerable to unfavorable weather conditions, like late freezing or rainstorms. Due to ongoing climate change weather conditions become less predictable and extreme events become more frequent.

The propagation of onions in the greenhouse requires substantially less seeds than traditional hand sowing in the field – 4 kg/ha onion field instead of 16-18 kg, i.e. saving 75-77%. Furthermore the propagation of onion seedlings in greenhouses with transplanting allows for a reduced input of pesticides and fertilizer compared to sowing in the field. This reduction of agrochemical input is related to the small area and favorable conditions in the greenhouse during the propagation of the seedlings.

The technology requires the preparation of the field in fall with 30 cm deep ploughing, harrowing and planning (молование). Afterwards the furrows for planting are made. Complex mineral fertilizer “NitroAmmoPhosKa” (N 16%, P2O5 16%, K2O 16%) or “DiAmmoPhosKa” (N 16%, P 16%, K 16%) in an amount of 75 kg per ha is applied before the transplanting.

The onion seeds are in mid-March sown in a sheeting greenhouse with 4 kg seeds on 100 m². Together with the seeds 3 kg “NitroAmmoPhosKa” and some dung are applied as fertilizer. After 45 days the onion seedlings have reached the stage of three real leaves and are in their optimum growth stage for replanting into the field. The seedlings in the three-leaf stage are by hand planted on the open ground of the prepared as described field.

During the growth period the seedlings are one time weeded and fertilized as follows: i) during planting 75 kg/ha “NitroAmmoPhosKa” is applied; ii) another 100 kg/ha “NitroAmmoPhosKa” is applied in form of supplementary fertilizing (подкормка). Also other fertilizer has been applied in form of supplementary fertilizing (подкормка) 400 kg/ha “Selitra”, 200 kg/ha “Ammophos” and 200 kg/ha “Karbamid (46)”. The onion has also been treated with various pesticides. The field is 10 times irrigated during the vegetation season, requiring 8000 m³ of irrigation water.

The yield on test plots was 91,300 kg/ha. The harvested onions are more homogenous in size thus better marketable than those propagated conventionally.

The benefit of the technology is the reduced amount of seeds required, reduced costs of pesticides and fertilizer. Despite the costs of materials and the effort needed to establish the greenhouse and the additional work for transplanting the seedlings, the technology provides an economic net benefit to the farmer. In testing plots the net profit of traditional onion cultivation was 76% while with greenhouse propagation and transplanting a net profit of 192% would be achieved. Greenhouse propagation also protects the seedlings from failure caused by extreme weather events, which become more frequent due to climate change, and thus reduce the risk for the farmers.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

Country:

Tajikistan

Region/ State/ Province:

Sughd region

Further specification of location:

J. Rasulov district

Specify the spread of the Technology:
  • applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area
Is/are the technology site(s) located in a permanently protected area?

Nee

Comments:

So far only single farmers apply the technology.

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:
  • during experiments/ research
  • through projects/ external interventions
Comments (type of project, etc.):

Demonstration plots have been established and monitored by the NGO Neksigol with support by the GIZ project.

3. Classification of the SLM Technology

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

  • improve production
  • adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
  • create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Nee


Cropland

Cropland

  • Annual cropping
Annual cropping - Specify crops:
  • cereals - wheat (spring)
  • fibre crops - cotton
  • oilseed crops - sunflower, rapeseed, other
  • vegetables - root vegetables (carrots, onions, beet, other)
Number of growing seasons per year:
  • 1
Is crop rotation practiced?

Ja

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?
  • No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:
  • full irrigation

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

  • improved plant varieties/ animal breeds
  • imoroved vegetable cultivation

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

agronomic measures

agronomic measures

  • A5: Seed management, improved varieties
  • A7: Others

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:
  • not applicable

4. Technical specifications, implementation activities, inputs, and costs

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:
  • per Technology area
Indicate size and area unit:

hectare

other/ national currency (specify):

TJS

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

8.0

Indicate average wage cost of hired labour per day:

20-50

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

Comments:

We did not differentiate establishment and recurrent activities, as this is a technology to be integrated in the overall cycle of agricultural works.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

Activity Timing/ frequency
1. Preparation of greenhouse field (100 m²) February-March/once per annum
2. Establishment of sheeting greenhouse February-March/once per annum
3. Sowing onion seeds and care March-April/once per annum
4. Transplanting of seedlings End April/once per annum
5. Ploughing of field, harrowing, planning, making furrows Before transplanting/once per annum
6. Fertilizing Before transplanting, during vegetation
7. Irrigation 10 times during vegetation season
8. Application of pesticides 5 times during vegetation season
9. Weeding 3 times during vegetation season
10. Harvest Once per annum
Comments:

We did not differentiate establishment and recurrent activities, as this is a technology to be integrated in the overall cycle of agricultural works.

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit Total costs per input % of costs borne by land users
Labour Preparation of greenhouse field (100 m²) person 1.0 50.0 50.0 100.0
Labour Establishment of greenhouse person 1.0 50.0 50.0 100.0
Labour Sowing onion seeds and care (over 45 days) person 2.0 50.0 100.0 100.0
Labour Agrotechnical works ha 1.0 820.0 820.0 100.0
Equipment Sheeting m 50.0 1.0 50.0 100.0
Plant material Seeds kg 4.0 685.0 2740.0 100.0
Plant material Transplanting 1.0 1520.0 1520.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Politrin ka l 1.0 200.0 200.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Mospilan kg 0.4 100.0 40.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Goal l 0.6 220.0 132.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Other pesticides Total 1.0 2371.0 2371.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Ammonium Nitrate 50 kg 8.0 120.0 960.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides NitroAmmoPhosKa 50 kg 4.8 240.0 1152.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Ammophos 50 kg 4.0 160.0 640.0 100.0
Fertilizers and biocides Karbamid (46) 50 kg 4.0 130.0 520.0 100.0
Construction material 2.0
Other Irrigation times 10.0 50.0 500.0 100.0
Other Irrigation water 8000.0 0.018 144.0 100.0
Other Application of pesticides times 5.0 50.0 250.0 100.0
Other Weeding times 3.0 500.0 1500.0 100.0
Other Harvest ha 1.0 4000.0 4000.0 100.0
Other Miscellaneous expenses 1.0 1000.0 1000.0 100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology 18739.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD 2342.38
Comments:

We did not differentiate establishment and recurrent activities, as this is a technology to be integrated in the overall cycle of agricultural works.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Transplanting is an important additional cost factor, compared to conventional sowing. However, costs for seeds is lower despite of use of higher quality seeds of certified sorts.

5. Natural and human environment

5.1 Climate

Annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Specify average annual rainfall (if known), in mm:

246.00

Indicate the name of the reference meteorological station considered:

Mehrobod

Agro-climatic zone
  • semi-arid

5.2 Topography

Slopes on average:
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms:
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitudinal zone:
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:
  • not relevant

5.3 Soils

Soil depth on average:
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil):
  • medium (loamy, silty)
Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface):
  • medium (loamy, silty)
Topsoil organic matter:
  • medium (1-3%)

5.4 Water availability and quality

Ground water table:

< 5 m

Availability of surface water:

medium

Water quality (untreated):

for agricultural use only (irrigation)

Water quality refers to:

both ground and surface water

Is water salinity a problem?

Nee

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

5.5 Biodiversity

Species diversity:
  • low
Habitat diversity:
  • low

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Sedentary or nomadic:
  • Sedentary
Market orientation of production system:
  • commercial/ market
Relative level of wealth:
  • average
Individuals or groups:
  • individual/ household
  • cooperative
Level of mechanization:
  • mechanized/ motorized
Gender:
  • women
  • men
Age of land users:
  • youth
  • middle-aged

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

  • < 0.5 ha
  • 0.5-1 ha
  • 1-2 ha
  • 2-5 ha
  • 5-15 ha
  • 15-50 ha
  • 50-100 ha
  • 100-500 ha
  • 500-1,000 ha
  • 1,000-10,000 ha
  • > 10,000 ha
Is this considered small-, medium- or large-scale (referring to local context)?
  • medium-scale
Comments:

Technology can be applied by small-holders as well as by large farms.

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:
  • state
Land use rights:
  • leased
  • Water management organization
Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Nee

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

health:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
education:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
technical assistance:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
employment (e.g. off-farm):
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
markets:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
energy:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
roads and transport:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
drinking water and sanitation:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good
financial services:
  • poor
  • moderate
  • good

6. Impacts and concluding statements

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

crop production

decreased
increased
Quantity before SLM:

40.000 kg/ha

Quantity after SLM:

91,300 kg/ha

crop quality

decreased
increased
Comments/ specify:

Higher percentage of onions of standard size and quality

Income and costs

expenses on agricultural inputs

increased
decreased
Comments/ specify:

Reduction of fertilizer application: by 50% (400 kg) Ammonium Nitrate and 52% (260 kg) NitroAmmoPhosKa

farm income

decreased
increased
Quantity before SLM:

14,266 TJS/ha

Quantity after SLM:

36.041 TJS/ha

Comments/ specify:

The net profit while applying this technololgy is 192% of the costs, compared with 76% with applying conventional methods.

Ecological impacts

Other ecological impacts

Onion seedlings less prone to extreme weather events, like late freezing and snow

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters
How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm well
local snowstorm well
local windstorm not well
Climatological disasters
How does the Technology cope with it?
cold wave very well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?
Short-term returns:

positive

Long-term returns:

positive

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?
Short-term returns:

positive

Long-term returns:

positive

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

  • 1-10%
Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?
  • 91-100%

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Nee

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Reduced risk, reduced amount of seeds
Increased yield of better quality
As onion is an important crop in the area there is high potential for the application of the technology

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view How can they be overcome?
None
High workload required for transplanting Adequate organization of farm works. Attraction of temporary labor.
Sheeting of greenhouses only suitable for one season, no recycling opportunities - risk of massive littering of the environment. Establishment of system for collection of used sheeting and its recycling or energetic use.

7. References and links

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

  • field visits, field surveys
  • interviews with SLM specialists/ experts
  • compilation from reports and other existing documentation

Documentation by the project: information sheet, excel files for calculation of gross margin specifying inputs and yield.

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

29/11/2018

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