Ashgabat, October 30, 2018: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Turkmenistan together with the Water design and research institute “Turkmensuwylymtaslama” organized a workshop on the presentation of results, environmental benefits and recommendations on the use of various types of water-saving irrigation at the research site in Geokdepe.

The seminar addressed the issues on design of irrigation systems for drip irrigation and sprinkling for the cultivation of agricultural crops in arid conditions. The advantages of using such systems in comparison with the existing traditional technology of irrigation of agricultural crops were also noted. At the research site, the workshop participants were shown crops of cotton, alfalfa, winter wheat and other crops via irrigation with water-saving irrigation technologies. The field results for 2018 were highlighted as well. Great interest among the participants of the workshop was attracted by cotton crops under drip irrigation, in which the yield was nearly 45 centners per hectare, and irrigation water costs for the crop were several times lower than with traditional irrigation

More than 30 participants from various ministries and hyakimliks, including specialists from State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources, experts from the “Turkmensuwylymtaslama” Institute and academic staff with students from universities and institutions, as well as representatives from public organizations enhanced their knowledge on preliminary results of the cost of water and energy in the production of various crops with water-saving irrigation technologies.

“The economic efficiency of water saving during irrigation will be determined and evaluated more objectively. We can see even now that innovations at this site considerably reduced water losses, reduced energy consumption for pumps and agrotechnical works and increased yield per hectare.  The new water management approaches substantially minimized salinization and virtually eliminated the need for drainage” mentioned A. Yazhanov, UNDP project Agriculture Specialist.

 The seminar was part of the joint project of UNDP with the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Turkmenistan, and the Global Environmental Facility “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan”.