144
10.5 Economical Necessities to Maintain Irrigation
Infrastructures
It is important to note that there is a certain discrepancy between the priorities of the
government and those of the water users in irrigated farming. The government, in spite
of providing the appropriate volume of water resources for irrigated agriculture, is interested in decreasing expenses involved in the transportation and diversion of excess water
and allotment of released water between sectors of economy including the demands of
environmental supply, e.g. in increasing productivity of water use and water saving,
whereas water users are interested in gaining the maximal profi t from their agricultural
farming in irrigated lands, especially as there is no charge for the volume of water used.
Therefore, water supply-related problems should be solved on a foundation of a balancing of interests and by searching for compromises. To this end, applying sound scientifi c
practices, approaching problem solving rationally and neutrally and, whenever necessary, adequately participating the relevant stakeholders are regarded as essential.
Irrigation and drainage were subject to signifi cant investment in the Soviet era,
but water management did not occur at a correct level (Ikramov 2007 ), i.e. the
degree of water use was very high, resulting in a rise of GWL and salinity, which in
turn led to degradation of the agricultural land. Often, construction of the canals and
their maintenance were not thorough, bringing the irrigation and drainage system in
dire straits even before the independence of the Central Asian countries in 1991.
After independence, the situation has worsened considerably. The maintenance of
the canals has been repeatedly postponed, and consequently, many irrigation and
drainage systems have come into disrepair. In many regions, water supply has been
undertaken intermittently. Moreover, farmers often do not have enough choice in what
to grow and often have limited access to information regarding seed quality, agricultural inputs, services and markets that would enable them to adapt to new conditions.
In these circumstances, interruptions in the water supply can lead to catastrophic consequences. Yields per hectare have declined sharply, depressing agricultural incomes
for both farms and states even more. With reduced incomes, agricultural workers have
fewer funds for maintenance, meaning the infrastructure is continuing to deteriorate,
water is becoming even less reliable, and this is a cycle that is ongoing.
Central governmental departments, which once controlled the operation and
maintenance of irrigation and drainage facilities in Central Asia during the Soviet
era, have weakened considerably. Shrinking budgets mean that wages in water management organisations and their local offi ces have dropped signifi cantly and qualifi ed
technical employees have left (brain drain).
10.5.1 Water Productivity
As Seckler et al. ( 2003 ) stated, “current effi ciency of water use is so low, especially
in irrigation, that most, if not all, of future water needs could be met by increased
effi ciency alone, without development of additional water supplies”. Therefore,
S. Kenjabaev and H.-G. Frede
10.5 Economical Necessities to Maintain Irrigation
Infrastructures
It is important to note that there is a certain discrepancy between the priorities of the
government and those of the water users in irrigated farming. The government, in spite
of providing the appropriate volume of water resources for irrigated agriculture, is interested in decreasing expenses involved in the transportation and diversion of excess water
and allotment of released water between sectors of economy including the demands of
environmental supply, e.g. in increasing productivity of water use and water saving,
whereas water users are interested in gaining the maximal profi t from their agricultural
farming in irrigated lands, especially as there is no charge for the volume of water used.
Therefore, water supply-related problems should be solved on a foundation of a balancing of interests and by searching for compromises. To this end, applying sound scientifi c
practices, approaching problem solving rationally and neutrally and, whenever necessary, adequately participating the relevant stakeholders are regarded as essential.
Irrigation and drainage were subject to signifi cant investment in the Soviet era,
but water management did not occur at a correct level (Ikramov 2007 ), i.e. the
degree of water use was very high, resulting in a rise of GWL and salinity, which in
turn led to degradation of the agricultural land. Often, construction of the canals and
their maintenance were not thorough, bringing the irrigation and drainage system in
dire straits even before the independence of the Central Asian countries in 1991.
After independence, the situation has worsened considerably. The maintenance of
the canals has been repeatedly postponed, and consequently, many irrigation and
drainage systems have come into disrepair. In many regions, water supply has been
undertaken intermittently. Moreover, farmers often do not have enough choice in what
to grow and often have limited access to information regarding seed quality, agricultural inputs, services and markets that would enable them to adapt to new conditions.
In these circumstances, interruptions in the water supply can lead to catastrophic consequences. Yields per hectare have declined sharply, depressing agricultural incomes
for both farms and states even more. With reduced incomes, agricultural workers have
fewer funds for maintenance, meaning the infrastructure is continuing to deteriorate,
water is becoming even less reliable, and this is a cycle that is ongoing.
Central governmental departments, which once controlled the operation and
maintenance of irrigation and drainage facilities in Central Asia during the Soviet
era, have weakened considerably. Shrinking budgets mean that wages in water management organisations and their local offi ces have dropped signifi cantly and qualifi ed
technical employees have left (brain drain).
10.5.1 Water Productivity
As Seckler et al. ( 2003 ) stated, “current effi ciency of water use is so low, especially
in irrigation, that most, if not all, of future water needs could be met by increased
effi ciency alone, without development of additional water supplies”. Therefore,
S. Kenjabaev and H.-G. Frede