Drip Irrigation applied to apple orchard (Muhammad Mudassar Maqsood))

Solar Power Water Lifting and Application to Orchard through Drip Irrigation (Paquistão)

Descrição

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.

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.

Localização

Localização: Morkhun and Passu, Gilgit Baltistan Province, Paquistão

Nº de sites de tecnologia analisados: 2-10 locais

Geo-referência de locais selecionados
  • 74.9, 36.49
  • 74.86, 36.6

Difusão da tecnologia: Aplicado em pontos específicos/concentrado numa pequena área

Em uma área permanentemente protegida?: Não

Data da implementação: 2016; menos de 10 anos atrás (recentemente)

Tipo de introdução
500-watt solar panels (Muhammad Mudassar Maqsood)
Drip irrigation mulch applied to apple plants (Muhammad Mudassar Maqsood)

Classificação da Tecnologia

Objetivo principal
  • Melhora a produção
  • Reduz, previne, recupera a degradação do solo
  • Preserva ecossistema
  • Protege uma bacia/zonas a jusante – em combinação com outra tecnologia
  • Preservar/melhorar a biodiversidade
  • Reduzir riscos de desastre
  • Adaptar a mudanças climáticas/extremos e seus impactos
  • Atenuar a mudanças climáticas e seus impactos
  • Criar impacto econômico benéfico
  • Cria impacto social benéfico
Uso da terra
Uso do solo misturado dentro da mesma unidade de terra: Não

  • Terra de cultivo
    • Cultura de árvores e arbustos
    Número de estações de cultivo por ano: 1
    O cultivo entre culturas é praticado? Não
    O rodízio de culturas é praticado? Não
Abastecimento de água
  • Precipitação natural
  • Misto de precipitação natural-irrigado
  • Irrigação completa

Objetivo relacionado à degradação da terra
  • Prevenir degradação do solo
  • Reduzir a degradação do solo
  • Recuperar/reabilitar solo severamente degradado
  • Adaptar à degradação do solo
  • Não aplicável
Degradação abordada
  • Erosão do solo pela água - Wt: Perda do solo superficial/erosão de superfície
  • Erosão do solo pelo vento - Et: Perda do solo superficial
  • Degradação da água - Ha: aridificação
  • Outro - Especifique: Damage and dysfunction of irrigation canal .
Grupo de GST
  • Gestão de irrigação (inclusive abastecimento de água, drenagem)
  • Gestão de água de superfície (nascente, rio, lagos, mar)
  • Tecnologias de eficiência energética
Medidas de GST
  • Medidas vegetativas - V1: cobertura de árvores/arbustos
  • Medidas de gestão - M1: Mudança no tipo de uso da terra

Desenho técnico

Especificações técnicas
Solar Pump: DC submersible (Lorentz, Germany 1 HP), the capacity of Panels: 500 watts, and pumping capacity of the pump: 7.5 litres/minute.
The capacity of storage tank: 500 litres, location of storage tank: 100 feet height (vertical) from the river and 60 feet height (vertical) from the orchard field.
Drip Irrigation: Surface and pressure compensating. The spacing of dripping points: 10 feet in Morkhun and 15 feet in Passu. Water application per plant by drip irrigation is 2 litres per day.
Plant to plant and row to row distance of apple 10 feet in Morkhun and 15 feet ( both plant to plant and row to row) in Passu coinciding with the dripping holes.
Pits: Constructed for planting apples, later they served as water harvesting pits /check basins.
Plastic mulch: In each plant. Shape of the plastic mulch is rectangular and dimension is variable, average about 5 ft long and 3 feet wide. It is an opaque plastic sheet.
Author: Muhammad Mudassar Maqsood)

Estabelecimento e manutenção: atividades, insumos e custos

Cálculo de insumos e custos
  • Os custos são calculados: Por unidade de tecnologia (unidade:Technological package at two sites ( solar system, water storage tank, drip, orchard establishment, and mulch) , same package is applied in two sites separately. Total area of two sites is 5 ha)
  • Moeda utilizada para o cálculo de custos: USD
  • Taxa de câmbio (para USD): 1 USD = n.a
  • Custo salarial médio da mão-de-obra contratada por dia: US$ 14.5 for skilled person and US$ 7.5 for unskilled person
Fatores mais importantes que afetam os custos
Equipment and labor
Atividades de implantação
  1. Site identification in consultation with the communities (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (March))
  2. Detailed engineering surveys, design formulation, tendering and work orders etc (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (March ))
  3. Implementation agreement with the community (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (March))
  4. Installation of solar-powered pumping units with four poly-crystalline solar panels. (Periodicidade/frequência: 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 (Periodicidade/frequência: 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)) (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (April))
  7. Constructed pits for each plant used for application of compost (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (April))
  8. Laying of drip irrigation systems (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (May))
  9. Laying down plastic mulch (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (May))
  10. Plantation of tubed apple (Kala Kolu variety) it is bought from the local nursery (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson (May))
  11. Training to selected farmers as caretakers of the technologies for its days to day repair and maintenance (Periodicidade/frequência: Pre Monsson ( May))
Estabelecer insumos e custos (per Technological package at two sites ( solar system, water storage tank, drip, orchard establishment, and mulch) , same package is applied in two sites separately. Total area of two sites is 5 ha)
Especifique a entrada Unidade Quantidade Custos por unidade (USD) Custos totais por entrada (USD) % dos custos arcados pelos usuários da terra
Mão-de-obra
Skilled Person days 136,0 14,43 1962,48
Unskilled Person days 745,0 7,7 5736,5
Equipamento
Spade Number 20,0 100,0
Shovel Number 20,0 100,0
Plumbing tool kit Kit box 1,0 100,0
Material vegetal
Apple Plants Number 3300,0 0,087 287,1
Material de construção
Solar panel, pump with all accessories sites 2,0 6490,0 12980,0
Water storage, intake, distribution pipes and mulch sites 2,0 6861,0 13722,0
Drip irrigation sites 2,0 4173,0 8346,0
-Check basin (pits) number 3300,0 0,466 1537,8
Custos totais para a implantação da tecnologia 44'571.88
Custos totais para o estabelecimento da Tecnologia em USD 44'571.88
Atividades de manutenção
  1. Monitoring of water pumping, storage, and drip system by a regular visit to the site. (Periodicidade/frequência: 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. (Periodicidade/frequência: Regular (annually))
  3. Replacement of dead apple plants (Periodicidade/frequência: As and when required)
Insumos e custos de manutenção (per Technological package at two sites ( solar system, water storage tank, drip, orchard establishment, and mulch) , same package is applied in two sites separately. Total area of two sites is 5 ha)
Especifique a entrada Unidade Quantidade Custos por unidade (USD) Custos totais por entrada (USD) % dos custos arcados pelos usuários da terra
Mão-de-obra
Unskilled Number 26,0 7,7 200,2
Equipamento
Spade Number 10,0 100,0
Plumbing tool kit Kit box 1,0 100,0
Material vegetal
Apple ( replacement of dead plants) number 330,0 0,087 28,71
Custos totais para a manutenção da tecnologia 228.91
Custos totais de manutenção da Tecnologia em USD 228.91

Ambiente natural

Média pluviométrica anual
  • <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
Zona agroclimática
  • úmido
  • Subúmido
  • Semiárido
  • Árido
Especificações sobre o clima
Pluviosidade média anual em mm: 150.0
it varies from 150 mm to 200 mm
Nome da estação meteorológica: Passu ghar
Inclinação
  • Plano (0-2%)
  • Suave ondulado (3-5%)
  • Ondulado (6-10%)
  • Moderadamente ondulado (11-15%)
  • Forte ondulado (16-30%)
  • Montanhoso (31-60%)
  • Escarpado (>60%)
Formas de relevo
  • Planalto/planície
  • Cumes
  • Encosta de serra
  • Encosta de morro
  • Sopés
  • Fundos de vale
Altitude
  • 0-100 m s.n.m.
  • 101-500 m s.n.m.
  • 501-1.000 m s.n.m.
  • 1.001-1.500 m s.n.m.
  • 1.501-2.000 m s.n.m.
  • 2.001-2.500 m s.n.m.
  • 2.501-3.000 m s.n.m.
  • 3.001-4.000 m s.n.m.
  • > 4.000 m s.n.m.
A tecnologia é aplicada em
  • Posições convexas
  • Posições côncavas
  • Não relevante
Profundidade do solo
  • Muito raso (0-20 cm)
  • Raso (21-50 cm)
  • Moderadamente profundo (51-80 cm)
  • Profundo (81-120 cm)
  • Muito profundo (>120 cm)
Textura do solo (superficial)
  • Grosso/fino (arenoso)
  • Médio (limoso, siltoso)
  • Fino/pesado (argila)
Textura do solo (>20 cm abaixo da superfície)
  • Grosso/fino (arenoso)
  • Médio (limoso, siltoso)
  • Fino/pesado (argila)
Teor de matéria orgânica do solo superior
  • Alto (>3%)
  • Médio (1-3%)
  • Baixo (<1%)
Lençol freático
  • Na superfície
  • < 5 m
  • 5-50 m
  • > 50 m
Disponibilidade de água de superfície
  • Excesso
  • Bom
  • Médio
  • Precário/nenhum
Qualidade da água (não tratada)
  • Água potável boa
  • Água potável precária (tratamento necessário)
  • apenas para uso agrícola (irrigação)
  • Inutilizável
A qualidade da água refere-se a: água de superfície
A salinidade é um problema?
  • Sim
  • Não

Ocorrência de enchentes
  • Sim
  • Não
Diversidade de espécies
  • Alto
  • Médio
  • Baixo
Diversidade de habitat
  • Alto
  • Médio
  • Baixo

Características dos usuários da terra que utilizam a tecnologia

Orientação de mercado
  • Subsistência (autoabastecimento)
  • misto (subsistência/comercial)
  • Comercial/mercado
Rendimento não agrícola
  • Menos de 10% de toda renda
  • 10-50% de toda renda
  • >50% de toda renda
Nível relativo de riqueza
  • Muito pobre
  • Pobre
  • Média
  • Rico
  • Muito rico
Nível de mecanização
  • Trabalho manual
  • Tração animal
  • Mecanizado/motorizado
Sedentário ou nômade
  • Sedentário
  • Semi-nômade
  • Nômade
Indivíduos ou grupos
  • Indivíduo/unidade familiar
  • Grupos/comunidade
  • Cooperativa
  • Empregado (empresa, governo)
Gênero
  • Mulheres
  • Homens
Idade
  • Crianças
  • Jovens
  • meia-idade
  • idosos
Área utilizada por residência
  • < 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
Escala
  • Pequena escala
  • Média escala
  • Grande escala
Propriedade da terra
  • Estado
  • Empresa
  • Comunitário/rural
  • Grupo
  • Indivíduo, não intitulado
  • Indivíduo, intitulado
Direitos do uso da terra
  • Acesso livre (não organizado)
  • Comunitário (organizado)
  • Arrendado
  • Indivíduo
Direitos do uso da água
  • Acesso livre (não organizado)
  • Comunitário (organizado)
  • Arrendado
  • Indivíduo
Acesso a serviços e infraestrutura
Saúde

Pobre
x
Bom
Educação

Pobre
x
Bom
Assistência técnica

Pobre
x
Bom
Emprego (p. ex. não agrícola)

Pobre
x
Bom
Mercados

Pobre
x
Bom
Energia

Pobre
x
Bom
Vias e transporte

Pobre
x
Bom
Água potável e saneamento

Pobre
x
Bom
Serviços financeiros

Pobre
x
Bom

Impactos

Impactos socioeconômicos
Área de produção (nova terra sob cultivo/uso)
diminuído
x
aumentado

Quantidade anterior à GST: None
Quantidade posterior à GST: 5 ha
Production area increased as uncultivated land brought under cultivation, but crop production has not increased yet because orchard just established.

Geração de energia (p. ex. hídrica, bio)
diminuído
x
aumentado


Use of renewable solar energy for fruit cultivation

Disponibilidade de água para irrigação
diminuído
x
aumentado


Irrigation water availability increased with innovative technological packages.

Impactos socioculturais
Instituições comunitárias
Enfraquecido
x
Fortalecido


Community institution (village development organizations) strengthened due to the approach of farming in a group.

Conhecimento de GST/ degradação da terra
Reduzido
x
Melhorado


Land management skills of community enhanced due to various training such as crop cultivation, operation and maintenance of water conservation and management technologies.

Impactos ecológicos
Umidade do solo
diminuído
x
aumentado


Improved soil moisture as a result of water harvesting pits, mulching and efficient drip irrigation.

Cobertura do solo
Reduzido
x
Melhorado


improved soil cover due to mulch.

Perda de solo
aumentado
x
diminuído


Reduced soil loss ( from wind and water erosion) due to application of mulch and also due to vegetation cover and above-ground biomass.

None
None
x
None


The technological package is climate change resilient as compared to the melt water dependant surface flood irrigation. Melt water of glacier and snow is very sensitive to climate change. Glaciers are dynamic, their depth and volume fluctuation happens each year.

Impactos fora do local
Cheias de jusante (indesejada)
aumentado
x
Reduzido


Reduced risk of downstream flooding though the amount is very less.

Análise do custo-benefício

Benefícios em relação aos custos de estabelecimento
Retornos a curto prazo
muito negativo
x
muito positivo

Retornos a longo prazo
muito negativo
x
muito positivo

Benefícios em relação aos custos de manutenção
Retornos a curto prazo
muito negativo
x
muito positivo

Retornos a longo prazo
muito negativo
x
muito positivo

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.

Mudança climática

Extremos (desastres) relacionados ao clima
Tempestade de vento local

não bem em absoluto
x
muito bem
Condições de inverno extremo

não bem em absoluto
x
muito bem
Seca

não bem em absoluto
x
muito bem
Inundação súbita

não bem em absoluto
x
muito bem
Heavy load of suspended river sediment

não bem em absoluto
x
muito bem

Adoção e adaptação

Porcentagem de usuários de terras na área que adotaram a Tecnologia
  • casos isolados/experimental
  • 1-10%
  • 11-50%
  • > 50%
De todos aqueles que adotaram a Tecnologia, quantos o fizeram sem receber incentivos materiais?
  • 0-10%
  • 11-50%
  • 51-90%
  • 91-100%
Número de residências e/ou área coberta
45 Households
A tecnologia foi recentemente modificada para adaptar-se as condições variáveis?
  • Sim
  • Não
A quais condições de mudança?
  • Mudança climática/extremo
  • Mercados dinâmicos
  • Disponibilidade de mão-de-obra (p. ex. devido à migração)
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.

Conclusões e experiências adquiridas

Pontos fortes: visão do usuário de terra
  • 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.
Pontos fortes: a visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitada
  • 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
Pontos fracos/desvantagens/riscos: visão do usuário de terracomo superar
  • 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.
Pontos fracos/desvantagens/riscos: a visão do/a compilador/a ou de outra pessoa capacitadacomo superar
  • 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.

Referências

Compilador/a
  • Madhav Dhakal
Editores
Revisor
  • Rima Mekdaschi Studer
Data da documentação: 26 de Setembro de 2019
Última atualização: 16 de Janeiro de 2020
Pessoas capacitadas
Descrição completa no banco de dados do WOCAT
Dados GST vinculados
A documentação foi facilitada por
Instituição Projeto
Referências-chave
  • ICIMOD 2017. An Innovative Approach to Agricultural Water Management in the Upper Indus basin: the Water_Energy-Food Nexus at the Local Level: http://lib.icimod.org/record/32794/files/Innovative%20Approach.pdf
  • 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.: Google scholar
  • Amjad Ali 2019. Unpublished report on cost-benefit analysis of UIB phase 1 intervention in Upper Hunza: ICIMOD
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International