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)

Agricultural Water, Energy, and Hazard Management for Improved Livelihood in the Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan (UIB, Pakistan)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

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:

Yes

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?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Water from the Hunza river was lifted through solar powered pump, stored above ground plastic tanks and applied to newly planted apple orchards through efficient drip irrigation. Mulch was applied to the plants to conserve soil moisture.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The fragile rouged mountains prone to the effect of climate change makes the mountain com-munities in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan more vulnerable. Agriculture is the major source of their livelihoods and it purely dependents on glacier meltwater which makes the community more susceptible due to the unstable behaviour of the glaciers. Irrigation is practised with traditional irrigation canals, intake of which is located at glacier terminus. On one hand lowering of glacier surface disconnects many irrigation canals. Uncertain glacier behaviour has resulted in the decline of water availability and even forced some communities to abandon their agricultural land. On the other hand, only 2% of land in Gilgit-Baltistan is used for agriculture purposes whereas a huge chunk of barren land lays above the Hunza River, which cannot be cultivated through the traditional irrigation system hence it remains unutilized.

To address both issues, ICIMOD together with a local level partner’s consortia piloted solar water lifting to irrigate barren land for establishing apple orchards along Hunza River at Passu and Morkhun Villages. These two villages are located far from each other. In each village, orchards of 2.5 hectare area were established and the drip irrigation system installed was efficiently used to irrigate apple plants. Similar technological packages (solar pump, drip irrigation and mulch) were applied in both the villages.

The pumping system comprises a submersible pump (Lorentz, Germany 1 HP) powered by 500 watts solar panels to carry the water to storage tanks (500 litres) made up of plastic that has been placed upslope at 100 feet vertical height from the river. The water from the storage tanks was routed/led to the apple saplings through the surface and pressure compensating drip irrigation system. The pumping capacity of the pump is 7.5 litres/minute, which is irrigating around 3300 apple plants at Passu and Morkhun. The storage tank was kept 60 feet vertical height from the orchard field to be irrigated. Tree to tree distance and row to row distance of apple was maintained at 15 feet in Passu and 10 feet in Morkhun. Drip irrigation (surface and pressure compensating) system was established to irrigate each apple plant, the emitter of the drip system was adjusted according to the plant to plant distance of apple seedlings to be irrigated. Pits were constructed for planting apples and later they also served as water harvesting pits /check basins. Plastic mulch was applied to each apple plants covering a radius around the trunk to minimize soil moisture losses, reduce weed and reduce soil erosion by water and wind.

The cost of an integrated package including solar pumps with accessories, storage tanks, intake and distribution systems (i.e. from river to tank and tank to trees), drip irrigation, apple plants and operational expenses (manpower) for both the sites was US$ 42000 for 5 ha of land. Village Development Organizations (VDO) of both villages take care of maintenance of technological package through a maintenance fund, which is being raised by participating households (HHs). Benefit sharing mechanism has been agreed among the participating HHs. The total income would be divided equally among participating 72 HHs in Morkhun and 135 HHs in Passu.

The technological package was applied in arid climate at an elevation ranging from 2340m to 4877 m above sea level. Passu is located at 36.49o latitude and 74.90o longitude and Morkhun is located at 36.6o N latitudes and 74.86o E longitudes. The area receives 150-200 mm annual rain-fall. The temperature ranges from 11 degree Celsius to 29 degree Celsius. The population of Passu and Morkhun is 1168 and 653 persons respectively. Both villages are semi nomadic and depend mainly on livestock rearing.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos 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:

2016

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

Comments (type of project, etc.):

This package of practices was jointly implemented by Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) - Pakistan, and ICIMOD

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• 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:

No

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:

No

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• full irrigation

Comments:

Water supply with solar pump and distribution to apple with drip irrigation

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• irrigation management (incl. water supply, drainage)
• surface water management (spring, river, lakes, sea)
• energy efficiency technologies

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Damage and dysfunction of irrigation canal intake by shifting nature of glacier as intakes are located at the glacier terminus.

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

Comments:

due to water access cultivation was possible and vegetation cover improved.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• USD

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Site identification in consultation with the communities	Pre Monsson (March)
2.	Detailed engineering surveys, design formulation, tendering and work orders etc	Pre Monsson (March )
3.	Implementation agreement with the community	Pre Monsson (March)
4.	Installation of solar-powered pumping units with four poly-crystalline solar panels.	Pre Monsson (April)
5.	Installation of storage (plastic tank) with a line filter attached to it for the operation of the drip system and avoid sediment entry into the tank	Pre Monsson (April)
6.	Digging of pits for plantation of the apple orchard at the plant to plant and row distance of 10 feet (Morkhun) and 15 feet (Passu))	Pre Monsson (April)
7.	Constructed pits for each plant used for application of compost	Pre Monsson (April)
8.	Laying of drip irrigation systems	Pre Monsson (May)
9.	Laying down plastic mulch	Pre Monsson (May)
10.	Plantation of tubed apple (Kala Kolu variety) it is bought from the local nursery	Pre Monsson (May)
11.	Training to selected farmers as caretakers of the technologies for its days to day repair and maintenance	Pre Monsson ( May)

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	Skilled	Person days	136.0	14.43	1962.48
Labour	Unskilled	Person days	745.0	7.7	5736.5
Equipment	Spade	Number	20.0	0.0	0.0	100.0
Equipment	Shovel	Number	20.0	0.0	0.0	100.0
Equipment	Plumbing tool kit	Kit box	1.0	0.0	0.0	100.0
Plant material	Apple Plants	Number	3300.0	0.087	287.1
Construction material	Solar panel, pump with all accessories	sites	2.0	6490.0	12980.0
Construction material	Water storage, intake, distribution pipes and mulch	sites	2.0	6861.0	13722.0
Construction material	Drip irrigation	sites	2.0	4173.0	8346.0
Construction material	-Check basin (pits)	number	3300.0	0.466	1537.8
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					44571.88
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					44571.88

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

The technological package was designed and implemented by ICIMOD's Indus Basin Initiative with partners and contributes to the sustainable Development Investment Portfolio and is supported by the Australian Aid program.

Comments:

Establishment costs and inputs for a solar pump –drip irrigation - mulch system was estimated for apple orchards piloted on a 5 hectares of total land in two villages.

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Monitoring of water pumping, storage, and drip system by a regular visit to the site.	Regular (annually)
2.	Repair and maintenance of solar pump panel and drip irrigation: fixing clogged drip lines and replacement of broken solar panel and cleaning of impellers of the solar pump.	Regular (annually)
3.	Replacement of dead apple plants	As and when required

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	Unskilled	Number	26.0	7.7	200.2
Equipment	Spade	Number	10.0	0.0	0.0	100.0
Equipment	Plumbing tool kit	Kit box	1.0	0.0	0.0	100.0
Plant material	Apple ( replacement of dead plants)	number	330.0	0.087	28.71
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					228.91
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					228.91

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Equipment and labor

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Yes

Regularity:

frequently

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Water is available in the river but fields are higher up than river

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Relative level of wealth: Poor 35 %, average 65%

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:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Yes

Specify:

Most of the uncultivated land is communal, community decides uses of the land

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

Other ecological impacts

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)

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
extreme winter conditions	well
drought	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	moderately

Other climate-related extremes (disasters)

other (specify)	How does the Technology cope with it?
Heavy load of suspended river sediment	well

Comments:

Drip is sensitive to temperature increase; but tolerant to wind storms/dust storms and floods. Solar panel is tolerant to temperature increase.

The solar panel is sensitive to wind storm. The pump is sensitive to flood and sediment load in the river, emitters of drip clog due to sediment. Mulch is sensitive to windstorm. Apple plants at an earlier stage are sensitive to wind storm, plants are sensitive to extreme winter conditions (low temp and snowfall)

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:

The initial cost of investment would be fully recovered in 10.9 years, hence the payback period of the project is around 11 years, and the repayment of the investment would start from the eight years. Benefit-Cost Ratio is found to be 4.96.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

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

45 Households

Comments:

None

6.6 Adaptation

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

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• climatic change/ extremes

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

Due to heavy load of suspended sediment flowing in the Hunza River, impellers of the solar pump couldn’t function properly. Site-specific customiza-tion of the pump was carried out to make the system functional and to sustain it in the long run.
For that, an outer filter was developed for the pump to avoid sediment entry into the pump. The outer filter is UPVC pipe (of 10-inch diameter and 13 ft long) wrapped with a finely-meshed green net. The out filter was tightly bound together with the pump. The filter with the pump was placed in the river, transverse to the direction of flow. The farmers are also trained to open the clogged drip to release the sediments from time to time.
Damaged solar panel sometimes was replaced. A portion of mulch was buried under the soil. Apple plants were tied together with support stakes. Application of mulch helped to protect apple plants from low winter temperature.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
The solar powered water lifting and drip irrigation is the first of its kind in the upper Indus basin. The system is simple and anyone once trained can operate it. It will contribute to nearly 50% of the additional income of the Passu community.
The technological package is environmentally friendly and are effective adaptation measures in the context of climate change.
Women are often most involved in agricultural activities and this intervention has provided them relief by making it possible for them to work nearer to their valley. More over, once the trees bear fruit, women will be able to sell them to generate income.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The first innovative technological package in GB that is climate-resilient as compare to meltwater-dependent flood irrigation is operated by renewable solar energy.
Water application through drip irrigation is very efficient as compared to flood irrigation, per plant water applied trough drip is 2 litres/day as compared to 30 litres/day through flood irrigation. Integration of mulch enhances soil moisture.
The technological package can last more than 20 years. Maintenance cost is nominal, it is US$ 100 at the initial stage and later stage it is US$ 300.
As women are predominantly responsible for farming activities, im-proved water access and application through drip reduces their work-load and frees up time for other activities

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?
Frequent maintenance operation and maintenance of the solar pump due to high sediment concentration of the river from where water is pumped.	Include capacity building activities as an integral part of the technology implementation process.
Drip irrigation and parts of solar panel may not available locally	A spare parts should be made available locally for immediate replacement as and when required.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
The investment cost is high .	Explain cost-benefit analysis to aware farmers that the benefit is high in the long run.
Techniques of multiple cropping were not practised to get short term benefits from the orchard field.	Engage the agricultural department to demonstrate and train farmers on multiple cropping in the dry land.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

ICIMOD 2017. An Innovative Approach to Agricultural Water Management in the Upper Indus basin: the Water_Energy-Food Nexus at the Local Level

Available from where? Costs?

http://lib.icimod.org/record/32794/files/Innovative%20Approach.pdf

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Kifayat, U., Khan, F. A., & Ejaz, A. (2014). Determinants of poverty in the mountain region of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Developing Country Studies, 4(7), 10-19.

Available from where? Costs?

Google scholar

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Amjad Ali 2019. Unpublished report on cost-benefit analysis of UIB phase 1 intervention in Upper Hunza

Available from where? Costs?

ICIMOD

7.4 General comments

It has been improved a lot as compared to past 10 years .