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Climate change is one of today’s global challenges and our country isn’t an exception. Frequent unpredictability of weather conditions not only jeopardizes food production, but also increases the risk of natural disasters. In the Batken province of Kyrgyzstan, one of the most remote provinces and where population income is highly dependent on agriculture, lack of water, excessive seasonal rainfall, desertification of fertile land, and unpredictable weather conditions all make it difficult to grow agricultural products. As a result, farmers face terrible losses, have to re-sow, adapt planting and harvest seasons to weather conditions and many more. Therefore, there is a need for measures aimed at preventing and responding to climate change by farmers, which will help reduce the impact of natural disasters on agriculture.
Taking into account the direct threat of climate change, the UN Development Program with funding from the Government of the Russian Federation launched a new Project “Strengthening Climate Resilience of the Batken Province Through Introduction of “Climate Smart ” Irrigation and Mudflow Protection Measures” in November 2019.
As part of the implementation of the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Kyrgyz Republic, the Project aims to increase resilience and reduce losses from climate change in targeted agricultural communities in the Batken Province, which is the most vulnerable province of the country to climate change.
The project coordinator Kumar Kylychev, established the main direction of the project – “to reduce the vulnerability of the population to natural disasters, which will be achieved through the comprehensive promotion of complementary solutions, expanding the application of climate change adaptation practices that were previously successfully implemented by UNDP in such areas, as agriculture, integrated water resources management and disaster risk reduction.”
He stated, “Our Project will make small but significant contributions to the development and implementation of policies in combating climate change, with consideration for the commitments of Kyrgyzstan incurred under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, as well as the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular Goal 13 Combating Climate Change.”
The project is conducting its activities in several directions, including expanding the use of water-efficient technologies and protecting irrigation systems.
Together with national partners, 40 potential sites and places for water-saving irrigation technologies were identified in the target communities based on a comprehensive socio-economic analysis of the province, study of local characteristics, analysis of problems, comparative local advantages and development opportunities.
“The Project contributed to the introduction of “smart irrigation” on the land plots of farmers in Aksuu, Alga, Kulundu, Markaz, Orozbekov, Samarkandek and Tort Gul Aiyl Aimaks, where drip irrigation systems are used by farmers on 82 hectares of land. The estimated volume of potential water savings in the rehabilitated site will be 284,879 cubic meters. The total cost of the activities amounted to KGS 11 802 620, of which 45% is the contribution of farmers and the remaining 55% was covered by the UNDP-RTF Project. The installed irrigation systems will serve as an example of expansion among farmers, trainings for farmers on the use of agricultural and climatic information, preparedness for various hydrological and climatic events, effective approaches to irrigation in a province with low moisture are planned in the continuation of these activities.” explained Emil Amatov, the Project specialist on water resources management.
The drip irrigation plot, which was installed for the farmer Kadicha Aidarova in the village of Kulundi Aiyl Aimak serves as an example. Since mid-August of this year, Kadicha Aidarova has been using a drip irrigation system on two hectares of her land, and she already has plans to expand the land plot using drip irrigation systems as the positive effect of using drip irrigation systems is evident, increasing the yield of products has increased by 10-15% while maintaining soil fertility and reducing the need for water by up to 50%.
“We have just started using this system. It was simple and convenient. We water our plants 1-2 times a week. Our trees are not as dry as they used to be. I would like to thank the UNDP-RTF Project for this support”, Kadicha Aidarova says.
Also, within the framework of the Project, repair works at 8 intra-farm irrigation facilities in the pilot Aiyl Aimaks of the Batken province were completed, work was initiated to expand the network of agrometeorological observations, which we will tell you about in our subsequent publications.
