uzbekistan: water and food security case study

Case study water and food security

International Conference on Policies for Water and Food Security in Dry Areas24th to 26th of June, Cairo, Egypt

Viktor Dukhovny (Scientific – Information Center SIC ICWC), Shukhrat Mukhamedjanov (Scientific – Information Center SIC

ICWC

Uzbekistan

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Uzbekistan total area 44.74mln.ha Irrigated area – 4.223 mln.ha

Population: by 2013– 30 mln. growth by 2050 – more than 40 mln  

I. Overview of the national agricultural sector

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Role of agriculture and irrigated farming in the national economy

1990

60,77

39,23

share of agriculture and irrigated farming in the nationaleconomy

share of other sectors of the national economy

2010

57,06

42,94

share of agriculture and irrigated farming in the nationaleconomy

share of other sectors of the national economy

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Indicators of social inequity in Uzbekistan

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Social access

Country

Proportion of undernourished in total population

1990-92 1995-97 2000-02 2006-08 Change so far

%

Uzbekistan 18 12 10 10 -44

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Structure of agricultural lands, (th. he.)

1980 1990 2010

total per capita total

per capita total

per capita

Under cultivation 4986 0,33 5190 0,25548

9 0,19

Irrigated 3688 0,25 4324 0,21438

5 0,15

Proportion irrigated area to total under cultivation 74%   83%   80%  

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Areas under main crops, th. ha

  CottonCottonFoddeFodderr

Grain Grain cropscrops OrchardsOrchards Corn Corn RiceRice

VegetabVegetablesles

Vine-Vine-yardsyards PotatoPotato

Home-Home-stead plotsstead plots

1990 1854 843 822 294 121 146 146 138 42 462

% 38 17 17 6 2 3 3 3 1 9

2010 1339 316 1442 758 45 80 158 114 65 525

% 28 7 30 16 1 2 3 2 1 11

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Change in crop yield, ton per hectare

CottonCotton CerealCerealss

OrcharOrchardsds

Vege-Vege-tablestables

Vine-Vine-yards yards

FoddeFodderr

1990 1990 2.76 2.64 3.44 19.2 6.39 9.54

2010 2010 2.76 3.79 2.56 20.0 4.19 11.84

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Water supply dynamics in Uzbekistan

  1980 1990 2000 2011

Total water withdrawal, km3 76.7 65.5 53.3 51.5

Water withdrawal per capita, th. m3 5,10 3,20 2,20 1,99

Water withdrawal for irrigation, km3 58.8 46.1 44.7 43.2

Water consumption per ha, th. m3 15,90 10,70 8,04 10,30

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II. The initial challenge• Climate change impact: reduced flow, severity of

extreme events;• Demographic pressure – population growth 1.2 – 1.8%

year;• Land degradation;• Poor water management;• Competition between power and irrigation;• Ongoing restructuring of agrarian farming;• Instability of market and prices.

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What we have now?From one side – scientificscientific:• Huge scope of decisions, knowledge, recommendations;• Huge data base in different directions and specifics;• Forecasts and optimizations;• Human potential.From other side - water and land userswater and land users:• Lack of knowledge;• Deficiency of experience;• Weakness of governance;• Difficulty with approach to data and forecast;• Absence of ongoing recommendations.

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Change in total amount of precipitation for March-August (Fergana weather station)

29,9

177,1

101,0

137,3

35,1

85,9

124,2

76,2

020406080

100120140160180200

2000 2003 2004 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Years

Pre

cip

ita

tio

n,

tota

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Change in total temperatures for March-August (Fergana)

130,4

120,0

127,5

119,3

137,7

124,8

127,9129,9

110

115

120

125

130

135

140

2000 2003 2004 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Years

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Water supplied for irrigation is lost due to water discharge from irrigated fields and deep infiltration

Transboundary problem

Artificial floods in winter

Water shortages in the summer

Consequences of the energy reservoirs regime

Mode of operation of the reservoir (Toktogul)Mode of operation of the reservoir (Toktogul)

periods

The inflow to the reservoir during the

vegetation period

The volume of water releases , billionм3

vegetation non-vegetation period

Total

before … 1990 y. 8,9 8,5 3,2 11,7

periods 1991…2000 y. 8,9 6,0 7,3 13,3

After 2000 year 10,4 5,4 8,2 13,6

• In 2007, the Foundation was set up land reclamation.

• A state program of reclamation of irrigated lands in the period of 2008 - 2012 years.

• Allocated about $ 500 million.

• Improved reclamation of 1.2 million hectares of irrigated land .

• Reduced the area is strong - and medium saline lands by 81.2 thousand hectares

• Lowered the water table in the area of 365 ha

• Particular attention is paid to the development of water-saving irrigation technologies, particularly drip irrigation system.

• Total area of the drip irrigation system is approximately 10.0 hectares in 2013 is planned to 3,5 ha

Measures to improve the reclamation of irrigated land and water use

III. Actions implemented

Diversification of agricultural productionDiversification of agricultural production

Other crops

50 %

Other crops

70 %

20201212 г г1919880 г0 г

Cotton

50 %

Cotton

30 %water capacity water capacity

cultureculture

Less water culture

irrigated areairrigated area

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Evaluation of water resources available for use in the Aral Sea Basin, km3

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Combination of climatic and water management scenarios

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Introduction IWRM

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Use of drought-tolerant varieties Use of drought-tolerant varieties

Variety “Gulistan" “Turon"

Earliness115-118

days 115-120

Mass of 1 boll 5-7 g 6.5 g

Fiber yield 38% 0.37

Fiber length 1.20 inches 1.15-1.17inches

Microneir 4.1-4.3 4.4

Tolerance to wilt to wilt

Yields 3.5-4.0 t/ha 3.5-4.0 t/ha

Irrigation norm 1200 m3/ha 2500 m3/haCotton Breeding and Seed age

Research Institute of Uzbekistan

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Actual water delivery in growing season along South Fergana Trunk Channel over 2003-2009

Actual water delivery in growing season along South Fergana Trunk Channel over 2003-2009

IV. Results & impacts

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The water supply reduced by 30%, and water losses

reduced from 49% to 20% in relation to water supply

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Comparative evaluation of average water productivity in the province and on WPI-PL project pilot sites, m3/ha (cotton)

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

Average forprovince

2009 2010 2011

Water productivity (cotton), kg/m3

Uzbekistan

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Soil productivity improvementorganic %

1.61.71.81.9

22.12.22.3

0-30 30-60 0-30 30-60

Without bacteria Bacteria formation

LEGUMESIt is well-known that such crops as green gram, Russian bean, and soy bean are the sources of protein, the deficit of which affects almost half of the world’s population, according to FAO. However, even in case of provision with the animal protein, the vegetable protein is an essential easily absorbed element. And this is not the only advantage of given family of crops. These crops are capable of improving land fertility by accumulating organic matter. Besides, the absorption and accumulation of nitrogen in the soil makes these crops unique in terms of their utility.The nodule bacteria in the roots of those plants can absorb nitrogen from the air, thus increasing considerably the nitrogen content both in the soil and in the plant.

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Calculation of water use in WUA Akbarabad

HMZ- hydro module zoning

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Transboundary water cooperation in the Aral Sea basin

PRODUCTIVITY OF LANDS IN CREASED ON 116-127%

250 mln.mWATER SAVING PER YEAR

3

7000 PERSONSTRAINING LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING

MORE THAN 15 THOUSAND PERSONS

RESULTS OF IWRM FERGHANA

IMPROVEMENTOF WATER USE138 th.ha

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V. Lessons LearnedCapacity building and human resources development for broader

implementation of IWRM in Central Asia (training, social mobilization, etc.)

To address principal challenges, it is necessary to:Establish a strong system of innovation implementation and dissemination of

experience on IWRM.Promote innovations into water delivery services - to create stability and efficient

water supply, including: a) build up strong interrelations between water hierarchy levels by economic, legal and managerial tools b) Water-Food–Energy nexus.

Promote innovations into more effective water use, including: a) broad implementation of water saving and reduce average water delivery per hectare on 20-30% by 2030, b) increase water productivity on 50% by 2030, c) cultivation of drought resistant crops.

Increase women involvement in water management and governance.Pilot testing of IWRM in specific zones: a) in upper watershed, b) in lowlands of

Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers.

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What are the new and emerging challenges related to water management and food security?

It was established that in addition to the technological deficiencies and errors made by the farmers, there are major issues related to improper or inadequate organization of the water supply system by water suppliers, which have significant impact.

Existing regulations and laws on water planning and supply, set by the relevant departments and ministries are mainly only up to WUA level. There is no structure, which on a regular basis during their formation would give recommendations on how new structures should work keeping in mind that organized farms have a much smaller area than the old style of collective farms.

How they should use technological approaches in water allocation among farmers, what legal operational documentation is necessary to take into account water demand and supply, what should be the foundation that provides efficiency of the system of funding the WUAs.

As a result, the first to suffer from a lack of organization, is the farmer and his fields, and this affects the productivity of land and water.

VI. Emerging issues

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What ideas, suggestions on policies, investments, practices, technologies do you have to tackle these emerging challenges?

VII. Main recommendations to policy-makers for scaling-up, and for reducing constraints

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Thanks for listening Questions, comments and suggestions are welcome