Off-season irrigation of fields and pastures as a mechanism for pasture improvement under climate change conditions in Southern Kazakhstan (CACILM)
Type: Technologies
Creation: 2012-01-27 12:37 Updated: 2019-04-18 12:41
Compilers: Azhar Yeszhanova
Reviewers: David Streiff, Alexandra Gavilano
Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment
- Country: Kazakhstan
- Region/ State/ Province: Republic of Kazakhstan/Zhambyl
- Further specification of location (e.g. municipality, town, etc.), if relevant: Talas/Sadu Shakirov village
- Map: View Map
Description of the SLM Technology
Short description of the Technology
Early irrigation of fields and pastures to retain soil mоisture during the dry season in Southern Kazakhstan (in the frame of CACILM).
Detailed description of the Technology
The technology was implemented in Sadu Shakirov village (Talas district of the Zhambyl region). During the Soviet era, 2’105 hа of irrigated arable lands and 66’408 ha of irrigated hayfields were at the disposal of the village. Water for their irrigation was supplied through the 12 km long canal "Sharuashlyk" from the Talas River. The village lands are located at the end of the canal. In the past few years, over abstraction of irrigation water by water users further upstream and a decrease in the water level of the Talas River have led to a sharp reduction of the water flow in the canal, resulting in the cessation of irrigated husbandry and the degradation of irrigated lands. Irrigated arable lands were abandoned and used now for year-round livestock grazing. The exploitation of the canal stopped, and it became worthless.
The situation is further worsened by the impact of global climate change on the Talas’ local climate (decline in precipitation, increase of yearly average temperature, autumn and spring frosts, droughts in summer). The reduction in the number and quality of forage crops due to shortages in irrigation water had a negative impact on stock-breeding and the well-being of the local population.
The problem has been solved by the public association “Kogal Sadu Shakirov Village”.
The canal’s 12 km length and 5 floodgates were restored to supply water to the area and to artificially retain soil moisture conditions through off-season irrigation during the pre-seeding period when most of the water users upstream don’t need water for irrigation.
The off-season irrigation allowed for the improved growth of grass on pastures. It accumulates soil water storage (1.5-2m in deep), which is used by crops in spring or early summer.
90ha of fallow lands were moistened by local communities in the 1st year. A part of them is used to cultivate fodder crops for supplementary feeding of cattle in winter (in spring, 60ha were sown with Lucerne), and the remaining area was used as natural hayfields. As a result, the hay harvest increased from 3.5 to 5 c/ha.
Purpose of the Technology: The purpose of this technology is the reduction of land degradation and desertification through the accumulation of moisture storage in the root zone of the soil during spring and autumn.
Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: Establishment activities include:
1) Reconstruction of the 12km canal, 5 floodgates and the furrowing in the fields.
2) Creation of sown pastures through sowing of forage crops: preparation of soil and Lucerne seeding, definition of irrigation norms. Field training for rural inhabitants in the technology.
Natural / human environment: The village is located in the plain desert region in the foothills of the Southen Kazakhstan. The highest average temperature is +45C in July, and the lowest average temperature is -41C in January. The average rainfall is 300 mm/year. There are 5-10 days per year with dust storms. Hard sand and semi-hard sands occupy up to 60% of the area.
Photos of the Technology
- 📍 Sadu Shakirov village, Talas/Zhambyl/Kazakhstan
- 🗓 2010-10-04
- 📷 Gulnara Bekturova (Kazakhstan, Almaty, +7 705 5678499 gbekturova@mail.ru)
- 📍 Sadu Shakirov village, Talas/Zhambyl/Kazakhstan
- 📷 Ospanbek Anuarbek (Kazakhstan, Zhambyl region,Talas district, Sadu Shakirov village, Konayev str., house 21)