<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The study examines possible water savings by replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley, located upstream of the Syrdarya River in Central Asia. Agricultural reforms since the 1990s have promoted this change in cropping patterns in the Central Asian states to enhance food security and social benefits. The water use of alfalfa, winter wheat/fallow, and winter wheat/green gram (double cropping) systems is compared for high-deficit, low-deficit, and full irrigation scenarios using hydrological modeling with the HYDRUS-1D software package. Modeling results indicate that replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley released significant water resources, mainly by reducing productive crop transpiration when abandoning alfalfa in favor of alternative cropping systems. However, the winter wheat/fallow cropping system caused high evaporation losses from fallow land after harvesting of winter wheat. Double cropping (i.e., the cultivation of green gram as a short duration summer crop after winter wheat harvesting) reduced evaporation losses, enhanced crop output and hence food security, while generating water savings that make more water available for other productive uses. Beyond water savings, this paper also discusses the economic and social gains that double cropping produces for the public within a broader developmental context.</p></abstract>

The study examines possible water savings by replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley, located upstream of the Syrdarya River in Central Asia. Agricultural reforms since the 1990s have promoted this change in cropping patterns in the Central Asian states to enhance food security and social benefits. The water use of alfalfa, winter wheat/fallow, and winter wheat/green gram (double cropping) systems is compared for high-deficit, low-deficit, and full irrigation scenarios using hydrological modeling with the HYDRUS-1D software package. Modeling results indicate that replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley released significant water resources, mainly by reducing productive crop transpiration when abandoning alfalfa in favor of alternative cropping systems. However, the winter wheat/fallow cropping system caused high evaporation losses from fallow land after harvesting of winter wheat. Double cropping (i.e., the cultivation of green gram as a short duration summer crop after winter wheat harvesting) reduced evaporation losses, enhanced crop output and hence food security, while generating water savings that make more water available for other productive uses. Beyond water savings, this paper also discusses the economic and social gains that double cropping produces for the public within a broader developmental context.

Can a change in cropping patterns produce water savings and social gains: A case study from the Fergana Valley, Central Asia

International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The study examines possible water savings by replacing alfalfa with winter wheat in the Fergana Valley, located upstream of the Syrdarya River in Central Asia....

Can a change in cropping patterns produce water savings and social gains: A case study from the Fergana Valley, Central Asia

Published Online: Feb 06, 2018

Page range: 189 - 201

Received: Aug 07, 2017

Accepted: Oct 20, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/johh-2017-0054

Keywords
HYDRUS-1D, Food security, Crop evapotranspiration, Water budget, Syrdarya River

© 2018 Akmal Kh. Karimov et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Can a change in cropping patterns produce water savings and social gains: A case study from the Fergana Valley, Central Asia

Published Online: Feb 06, 2018

Page range: 189 - 201

Received: Aug 07, 2017

Accepted: Oct 20, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/johh-2017-0054

KeywordsHYDRUS-1D, Food security, Crop evapotranspiration, Water budget, Syrdarya River

© 2018 Akmal Kh. Karimov et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
HYDRUS-1D, Food security, Crop evapotranspiration, Water budget, Syrdarya River