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

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)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Drip irrigation substantially saves water compared to conventional furrow irrigation. Here the technology is applied for different perennial and annual crops and with use of different sources of water.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

In the arid areas of Sughd region cultivation of most crops is possible with irrigation only. In many cases conventional furrow irrigation is limited or impossible due to insufficient availability of irrigation water. Furthermore, conventional furrow irrigation is often connected with problems which make irrigated farming unsustainable – high water demand causes shortages for downstream water users and ecosystems, irrigation water can flush out nutrients from soil or cause erosion, high amounts of irrigation water and insufficient drainage can lead to waterlogging and where soil and/or irrigation water contain high amounts of salt to salinization. From an economic perspective, the high amounts of irrigation water required for conventional irrigation can be costly, especially where pumping from sources to fields at higher elevation is required. Climate change impacts like increasing aridity, changing seasonality of rainfall, reduced storage of precipitation as snow and glacier ice and resulting irrigation water shortages during critical seasons require adaptation in irrigated agriculture.

The broader application of drip irrigation is one way to address economic and environmental issues of irrigated farming, while specifically addressing climate change impact. The major effect of drip irrigation is the increased irrigation water use efficiency – “More crop per drop”. This avoids or reduces the above explained impacts of conventional furrow irrigation: water demand is massively reduced allowing irrigating fields and orchards in areas where water availability would not allow for conventional irrigated agriculture; loss of soil nutrients, irrigation induced erosion and waterlogging are avoided, salinization is much less likely and occurs only in small extent in cases where highly mineralized irrigation water is applied (not an issue in the described project region). The reduced need for irrigation water avoids conflict with downstream water users and the needs of ecosystems. Under climate change impact farmers applying drip irrigation have a higher security that sufficient irrigation water is available and the drip irrigation technology allows for an adapted provision of water to the crops in accordance to their physiological demand. Drip irrigation systems can be used to apply the accurate dosages of fertilizer directly to the plants. This increases the effectiveness of fertilizing and the efficiency in terms of costs as much less fertilizer is not taken by the crops.

Drip irrigation is applied for various crops:
•perennial crops: orchards of apple, apricot, pear and other fruit trees, vineyards, lemons in greenhouses;
•corn, onions, potatoes; and
•honey melon and water melon.

The high initial investment influences on the economic profitability of the technology. The project demonstrated that drip irrigation can be used not only for orchards, where it has an advantage over field crops, because there is no need re-install pipes every season. But it can be used for crops such as melons, onion, sunflower and corn. In the case of honey melon and water melon drip irrigation is particularly efficient due to the large area covered by every single plant. Thus the distances between pipes and between drippers can be large to supply each plant, but the plants with their long tendrils and large leaves effectively use the space in between. In trials of onion cultivation the generally high investment needs, required density of tubes and drippers and the comparably low market price made the technology in not economically competitive under current circumstances.

Drip irrigation can be applied with various sources of irrigation water. Compared to conventional furrow irrigation even low amounts of irrigation water or water from comparably costly sources can be effectively used. In the frame of the documented trials the following sources of irrigation water have been used for supplying drip irrigation systems in addition to water from irrigation canals:
•spring water collection with concrete reservoir;
•water from draw well, pumped to small water tower above the well and from their running by gravitation to concrete reservoir, from where it is supplying the drip irrigation system;
•rain water collection from house roofs with concrete reservoir;
•irrigation water withdrawn by large pumps from Syrdarya river and supplied via pipelines to newly irrigated areas;
•irrigation water from household water supply system, stored in concrete reservoir during day times of low demand.

The drip irrigation systems are equipped with manual (use of local irrigation water stored in concrete reservoirs or barrels) or automatic (direct use of irrigation water from pipelines) pressure regulation valves. At the outlets of reservoirs or at the pressure regulations device fertilizer can be added and provided to the plants in exact dosage.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

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

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2017

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

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

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

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Nee

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

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

• Yes (Please fill out the questions below with regard to the land use before implementation of the Technology)

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Nee

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

• water harvesting
• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation
• adapt to land degradation

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

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

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Construction of water supply and storage structures	before irrigation season
2.	Installation of drip irrigation system	early in spring
3.	Draining of water storages and drip irrigation system	before cold season sets in

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Construction of water withdrawal systems
Labour	Construction of rainwater harvest systems
Labour	Construction of water storage
Labour	Installation of drip irrigation systems	ha	5.0	2800.0	14000.0
Construction material	Water withdrawal systems
Construction material	Rainwater harvest systems
Construction material	Water storage systems
Construction material	Drip irrigation system orchard	ha	5.0	7000.0	35000.0
Construction material	Drip irrigation system onion field	ha	1.0	20000.0	20000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					69000.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					8625.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

All investment costs of trials had been covered by the project

Comments:

Costs vary between the specific situations, depending on type of crop, of water supply and of water storage as well as area sizes. Inquiries about detailed costs can be send to the project.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Refilling of water storage	Depending on specific situation
2.	Regulation of water supply in drip irrigation system	Permanently during irrigation season
3.	Control and cleaning of drippers as necessary	At least weekly

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

Comments:

Costs vary between the specific situations, depending on type of crop, of water supply and of water storage as well as area sizes. Inquiries about detailed costs can be send to the project.

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Water supply and storage systems, densities of drip irrigation pipes and drippers.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Various altitudes.

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Various soil situations

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Nee

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Grond water table varying between <5 m and >50 m.

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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

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

Land ownership:

• state

Land use rights:

• individual

• Kindergarten, gov't agency

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

• Gov't organizations

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Nee

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
seasonal temperature	dry season	increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	well
seasonal rainfall		decrease	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

Comments:

High establishment costs.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

Beyond the trials supported by the project the technology is now applied as standard irrigation technology in the newly irrigated areas of Sayhun.

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 51-90%

Comments:

Under consideration of the newly irrigated areas of Sayhun.

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 land user’s view
Irrigation possible in areas with irrigation water supply insufficient for conventional irrigation technologies.
Low amount of irrigation water needed for effective irrigation.
Potential of expansion of irrigated land use in previously non-irrigable areas.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Same as land-user's view.

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

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Expensive initial investment	External financial support; Choice of most efficient options, use of cheap versions.
Costs of replacement of damaged parts of the system and access to replacement parts	External financial support; provision of replacement parts

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Expensive initial investment	Decrease of costs as market of equipment becomes larger; Provision of access to suitable financing schemes; Application of the technology for crops with high cross margin per area unit/per investment in irrigation.
Costs of replacement of damaged parts of the system and access to replacement parts	Capacity development on proper maintenance, in particular draining before the cold season; Assistance in purchase of durable parts via extension services/procurement cooperatives.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information