UNDP Project: Experiments with orchards to rationalize irrigated cropping
The United Nations Development Program, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan, is continuing the implementation of the “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Sustainable Water Management” project. Recently, a landscaping campaign was carried out at the research site in Geokdepe for further testing several types of irrigation.
The entire experimental area is divided into several zones, each to be equipped with various systems of dosed irrigation, including drip irrigation and rotating sprinklers.
In order to probe every technology in practice, the project and the “Turkmensuwtaslama” Institute decided to plant gardens using 1000 saplings, including 250 mulberry trees, 250 date palms, 30 apricots, 35 apple, 35 quince, 250 grape and 100 spruce. It is expected that fruit trees will yield first harvest in two years.
As the appropriate irrigation infrastructure is expanded, part of the site will be sown with several types of grain and vegetable crops.
The experiment will allow to estimate the required frequency and volumes of irrigation. The obtained data will be used for assessing the most rational method of watering for a particular species of flora, taking into account local climatic conditions.
The trees, as the immediate "participants" of the test, will protect the farming fields from the negative impact of winds, degradation and maintain the water balance of the soil.
Rational water resources management is a significant aspect of developing a sustainable economy and protecting the environment in the arid conditions of Turkmenistan. Irrigated agriculture accounts for 90% of total water consumption or about 24 billion cubic meters per year.
The ultimate goal of the project “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Sustainable Water Management” is to replace energy-intensive infrastructure with water- and energy-efficient one by transferring know-how and attracting investments. That will significantly reduce the loss of precious water resources when transporting it from intake points, increase crop capacity and eradicate the causes of soil degradation.
