Adaptation of farmers’ agricultural practices in response to intensified climate aridization in Akmola Oblast (CBA/KAZ/SPA/09/01)

Project Details & Results

In Northern Kazakhstan, the CBA project “"Adaptation of farmers’ agricultural practices in response to intensified climate aridity in Akmola Oblast” is located in the Arnasay settlement, which is 50 kilometers away from the country’s capital, Astana. The project site is the nation’s agricultural center, but its steppe ecosystem is fragile and subject to harsh weather conditions. Winters are long and cold with heavy winds and summers are hot and with both droughts and heavy rains. The harsh climate conditions have increased soil erosion and land degradation, resulting in damage to the local economy and reducing farmers’ production and incomes. Having observed the negative impacts of climate change upon farming productivity, the residents of Arnasay village have begun to implement adaptation measures to prevent climate change from further threatening their livelihoods.

Project aim:
Demonstration of alternative moisture preserving irrigation practices (drip irrigation and use of water saving caps on the sprinkling devices), and testing winter crops sawing methods that are not usual for Northern Kazakhstan areas that are categorized as zones of risky agriculture, demonstration of new farming practices that would reduce the risks caused by lack of irrigation water, and benefit from the climate changes in winter

Project tasks:
The project proposed is focused on the demonstrational activities to disseminate the farming practices enabling the local community to adapt to progressive aridization connected with the global warming and to the reduced water supply conditions; to check the environmental, economic and social viability of the transition from (1) the existing unsustainable system based on exclusively spring crops to the system that combines the production of winter wheat; (2) from the conventional irrigation technology to the water-saving technologies based on the drip irrigation; and (3) to the use of special machinery for irrigation.

Project results:
- Effective water management was established on the territory of 1500 ha (backyards of LC members and socially vulnerable groups, school greenhouses and schoolyard plot, farming lands)
- Winter wheat is grown on the area of 5000 hectares
- Number of farmers have implemented new approach - 6
- Combining the production of summer grain crops with winter wheat production and switching to more drought-tolerant and cold-resistant species makes it possible to obtain stable yields under conditions of increasing aridity of climate in the region. Cereal crop for wheat production using the technology of cultivation of winter crops has increased for 15% and amounts to 16.5 kg / ha - in Y2010 it gave farmers income by 30% compared with 2009.
- The use of drip irrigation system has allowed the LC members for minimal costs ($100-150$ for one backyard) to reduce water consumption for irrigation 2 times, thus, increase the yield of vegetables: cabbage, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers 2 times. Drip irrigation mastered 24 LC members' plots. The system has demonstrated itself as a good affordable adaptive method in terms of climate aridization. The idea is widely and actively supported by local authorities. -In March 2011 a collective transition to drip irrigation in all the villages of the district started at the expense of the state budget.
- 90% of the watering machine park has been equipped with special sprinkling nozzles for surface irrigation. This action has allowed to achieve savings of irrigation water and electricity supply 2 times, and significantly reduced risks of soil erosion process; potato yields after upgrading the irrigation complex increased by 30% and brought revenue for farmers 1,5 times more. Through this adoptive irrigation method sputtering and evaporation have decreased.

Notable Community Participation
The project participants include 2100 people representing farmers, agricultural producers, local and neighboring communities. Farmers, agricultural producers in the area, community of Arnasai village, school instructors, leaders of the production teams take active part in the project.

Capacity - Building Component
4 LC members' gardens have been selected as demo sites for drip irrigation system, on the basis of which workshops, seminars and meetings are arranged to demonstrate drip irrigation systems in practice and the results achieved.
The "School of the Young Farmer" is established, where young people are trained on practice how to assemble and installe the drip irrigation system, and subsequently place it on the backyards of the LC members

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The CBA project has 2100 participants (or 220 households) who have benefitted from the adaptive practices introduced. From the effective water management activities, the total irrigated area is approximately 7000 hectares. Demonstration plots of twelve (12) local members are now equipped with the drip irrigation system due the project, and 24 local community members’ households have used the drip irrigation system (12 items were installed by the local members by themselves based on knowledge received from the project.). The yield has increased twice on the backyards with the drip irrigation system. At the same time water consumption has decreased twice. The project activities target at the improvement of the key agricultural practices in this area, such as production of durum wheat, potatoes, and other vegetables with the total irrigated area of 1200 ha, and demonstration of the vegetable production opportunities in green houses, hot frames, and open ground by using drip irrigation techniques.
Following the main concept of the project we started to actively promote the agricultural practices that enable the local communities to adapt to growing aridization caused by global warming and to water shortage. Members of the partnership have gained accurate economic evidences of the improved efficiency and quality of the new irrigation method. Implementation of drip irrigation system on school's bakyard and greenhouse provided pupils with fresh vegetables for all year round. The vegetable lunch in school canteen now costs only 25 cents.

Gender Focus
Men and women will participate in project realization on equal basis.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
PR-activities included different instruments in raising public awareness as regular meetings, seminars, round tables with involving LC’s members, experts, consultants and media. Articles issuing and information disseminating led to wide public interest and allowed to successfully achieve project goals and tasks and replicate experience on neighboring settlements.

Policy Impact
Collective transition to drip irrigation in the villages of the district are planning was included in state budgets starting 2011. Project activities have allowed farmers in rural areas as well as local authorities to be acquainted with the new adaptive technology.

First meeting on CBA theme	The winter in past	The first VRA meeting