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In 1998, ICARDA established
an integrated research site near Boykozon, in the Tashkent Province of northeastern
Uzbekistan. The site represents the typical agroecologies and mixed farming
systems of the steeply sloping hill country of Central Asia. It was selected
as a suitable place at which to conduct the integrated research needed to
address the common problems of low agricultural productivity, degradation
of the natural resource base, and the difficult socioeconomic conditions of
the transitional economies emerging in the post-Soviet era.
The climate of Boykozon
shows the extremes of weather, typical of continental locations. In winter,
temperatures frequently fall below freezing, while in summer they approved
nearly forty degree centigrade.
The soils are mainly moderate
to heavy loam, with low to medium nutrient contents. The ICARDA research farm
has integrated crop and livestock enterprises. Winter wheat, vegetables, and
grapes are the main crops; and beet, alfalfa, and fodder grains are also grown.
Irrigation water is provided from the Parkent main canal, which comes from
the Chirchik River.
Two problems prevail at
the site, as throughout much of Uzbekistan's irrigated area: low productivity
from the water available and loss of soil by erosion due to runoff from irrigated
fields. Considerable amounts of water flow off the fields during irrigation,
taking away large amounts of soil and nutrients. The result is low and declining
crop yields, in addition to the negative environmental impact. Annual soil
erosion in Uzbekistan averages 51 t/ha, while irrigation efficiency is less
than 60%.
Two interventions were
tested to address these problems. First, locally manufactured portable polyethylene
chutes were installed at the heads of the field furrows, replacing the inefficient
ditches normally used to supply water. The chutes eliminated seepage and ensured
uniform distribution of water among the furrows, in addition to providing
full control over the timing and amount of water applied to each furrow. This
technology was used on potato fields. As a result, the amount of irrigation
water needed to produce the same yield was reduced by about 50%. Due to reduced
runoff, soil erosion was also substantially reduced.
The second trial evaluated
the potential of intercropping vegetables with vines under drip irrigation.
Vines are an important crop in Uzbekistan.
At the Boykozon
farm, as in many other locations, they are grown widely spaced on steep slopes.
During the first years most of the soil surface remains uncovered and is therefore
susceptible to soil erosion. The soil also remains unproductive during this
period. A drip irrigation system was installed to provide irrigation water
to vegetables grown between the vine rows. Tomatoes, peppers, melons, and
cucumbers were grown during the first two seasons. These enterprises earned
an additional profit of about US$ 800/ha, besides having a positive impact
on soil conservation. The vines also benefited from the intercropping, through
improved soil moisture and addition of fertilizer for the vegetables.
These interventions demonstrate that the goals of increasing production and protecting the natural resource base are not incompatible in the short term. They require small initial cash outlays and some extra labor, but produce an attractive return on these investments. They will be suitable wherever there is a large nearby urban market for vegetables, such as Tashkent or other cities in Central Asia.